


Eros in Progress

by trixiechick



Series: Eros Project [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, rating applies to work as whole - will be adjusted if necessary
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-09
Updated: 2017-03-28
Packaged: 2018-08-29 23:55:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 94,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8510794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trixiechick/pseuds/trixiechick
Summary: Becoming soulmates was just the beginning of the story.





	1. Prologue

☽☾

**Prologue**

☽☾

Victor Nikiforov took the ice at the Grand Prix Final, and the near two hundred thousand in attendance jumped to their feet in anticipation. He blew kisses to the audience as he warmed up, doing two full circuits before he glided to the center ice, and took position. He placed one foot behind the other and dipped his head down.

It was time to start the spell.

The music began, and Victor dipped his head back, raising his arm to cover his forehead dramatically. Even from the first slide of his skate over the ice, a streak of electric blue followed him. He built up speed quickly as his first jump came up nearly right away. He could feel the intense gaze of the audience, of the world, and it made his heart pound in time with the music. He moved his hand, and purple dispersed after him. He took to the air as if he could fly for a few scant seconds. When his blades hit the ice, an explosion of white and yellow sparks spread out. 

Now, he had his tempo, he had his groove going. Some footwork, and blues, greens, and oranges spread out in the air as if they were watercolors spreading on paper. He first jump combo, and suddenly streaks of light were dancing behind him from his shoulders, his hips, and his feet. He brushed his hand over his forehead, and turned. Bright red spilled behind him. He went into his spin, and a rainbow blossomed around him. Into the next footwork section, leading up to another jump. 

He could feel the intensity rising. The colors were mixing and spreading, and he felt like he could feel every heartbeat in the whole stadium. He took to the air, another quad jump. Every heart in the audience jumped with him, and when he landed, fireworks shot up from the ground to dazzle the sky. They wouldn't be the last. Another spin, and the light around him was white with intensity. A triple triple jump combo, and another set of fireworks went off. He was at the edge of the rink, and pulled back to the center, his arms waving, swirling colors all around. Every jump now brought fireworks so the rink was bright enough that Victor wasn't able to see the huge crowd, but he could feel them, _he could feel them_.

When he went into his final spin, it was as if he himself had become the firework as brilliant colors streaked up from his body, bursting into the sky. When he finished, another burst.

He stood there, panting, watching the sky. Shimmering sparkles rained down from the colors still exploding above him. They were too flimsy to be considered tangible, but they covered the entire audience.

It had gone exactly as he'd planned.

☽☾

Yuri took a deep breath. He stared out the window of the plane, but there was nothing to see, nothing at all. Coach Celestino was sitting next to him, but he had given up on trying to talk to Yuri ages ago. Yuri wanted to empty his mind, but it was impossible. Everything crowded together, and all his thoughts spilled one after another, pushing each other out of the way, screaming at him. Underneath all his raging thoughts, he could hear himself reading the news headlines. Coach Celestino had been right, probably. He shouldn't have read them. But, it wasn't as if he didn't know what they were saying even without reading them, so.

_[Will Katsuki Yuri continue after disastrous GPF showing?]_

He couldn't blame them for wondering. This was supposed to be... his _chance_. This was supposed to be the time when he was able to finally, truly shine, the way he'd meant to shine all along. He wasn't a sorcerer for nothing, after all. What he was _supposed to do with his life_ was create. Color, light. Happiness, faith, _love_. Instead.

He'd _failed_.

They were headed to Tokyo. The Japanese Nationals were in just two weeks. Shouldn't he just withdraw? His country needed more from him than another failure. Could he still manifest at all? Was he truly a sorcerer?

_[Victor Nikiforov's 1199 score earns gold, does it offset Yuri Katsuki's 0 score performance?]_

He'd dreamed of having his name in the same headline, the same article, as Victor Nikiforov. What skater hadn't? And now he had, and it made him wish he'd never done any magic at all. He'd turned his back on his idol. Victor Nikiforov, a man whose performances were probably playing somewhere in the world at all times, giving the world endless happiness and love, had offered to take a picture with him, and he'd just turned his back and walked away without saying a single word. Even if he was lucky enough to ever perform anywhere near Victor again, he wouldn't be able to face him. Humiliating. 

And anyway, he _couldn't_ , could he? The Yuri Plisetskys of the world were waiting to take his place, and he would just. Disappear.

He'd spent his whole life preparing for this, and he'd failed.

_[Did nerves get the best of Yuri Katsuki once again?]_

He hadn't even been there when Vicchan died. He still wasn't going home. His Vicchan... He was a failure as a son and as a sorcerer and even as a dog owner. He wished he could go back in time and... and... maybe give his past self a cold or the flu or something even worse. Anything. Anything to have prevented him from coming to the Grand Prix Final.

Tears spilled down his cheeks, but they were falling on their own, and Yuri wasn't sobbing. As long as he kept his face turned toward the blackness outside the window, no one else had to be burdened by them.

☽☾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _ [glossary of terms](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8510926) _


	2. First Spell

☽☾

**First Spell**

☽☾

"Ok, Yuri-kun, Are you ready? See, the rink is magic... so all you have to do is, tap your toes on the surface of the ice, and..." Yuko-san demonstrated, and light shimmered over her foot, transforming her shoe into a skate.

Yuri's little mouth made an 'o', and he quickly stepped up to try it himself.

"Good! Good! Now, do that with your other foot, too... Good!" She beamed at him.

Yuko-san sure was nice. She held her hand out, so Yuri took it.

"Now, the skates will be really slippery... you can't just walk on ice. Minako-sensei said that you were really talented, Yuri-kun!" Yuko-san led him out onto the ice gently.

He held on tighter, feeling his feet slide on the ice. It was embarrassing to think of Minako-sensei praising him to people he didn't even know. "Minako-sensei... is really pretty. Sometimes, when she's dancing, it looks like there's light all around her hands and feet."

"She _was_ a world-class ballet dancer. That makes her a sorcerer. Would you like to be a sorcerer someday, Yuri-kun?" Yuko-san was dragging him faster and faster, but Yuri was getting a feel for the ice.

"Is being a sorcerer good?" he asked her earnestly.

"Of course! It's the best thing in the world to be!" Yuko-san beamed. "Sorcerers compete and give performances, and they make colors and light, and their magic fills the air, and spreads out everywhere, and because of them, people can be happy and feel love! It's even because of sorcerers that people get soulmarks!"

Yuri stood up straighter, and smiled brightly. "Then, I definitely want to be one!"

"Hardly anyone can actually _be_ a sorcerer," a bigger boy jeered, skating past Yuko-san and Yuri.

Yuri glared at him, but Yuko-san just stuck her tongue out at him. "Well, _no one_ would be one if no one _tried_ , Takeshi!"

Yuri stuck his tongue out at that Takeshi, too. Mother and Teacher were always saying that every person should always do their best to be positive and make other people smile. Bullying was bad! "I'm going to try, Yuko-san.

"I could be a sorcerer."

"Yes, you could!" she beamed at him.

Yuri hadn't even noticed that she'd let go of his hand. He was skating on his own already.

☽☾

Skating class let out, and there was still an hour before free skate began, so they piled into the waiting room. Nishigori got out chips, but he wouldn't share them. Yuri knew this from experience. He got himself a hot chocolate from the vending machine. It didn't taste as good as his mother's, or even Mari-neechan's, but it was hot and creamy.

Yu-chan went straight to the television, and she was flipping through the channels. 

Nishigori swiped a sip from Yuri's hot chocolate, so Yuri swiped a chip, but then Nishigori was trying to pull him in a headlock. Yuri was trying to avoid it and keep his hot chocolate safe when Yu-chan jumped for joy.

"It's on!"

Both Nishigori and Yuri stopped to see what she had found on television.

It was a figure skating festival!

"Junior World Championship! Yuri, look, look! That's Victor Nikiforov! This is a replay, I saw, he won with the largest score ever for a junior sorcerer! Isn't he cool?" She was standing in front of the television, so Yuri leaned over to see better.

The boy on the screen was wearing a black costume with large, silver crystal-like things attached, and a half skirt at the waist. He had long silver hair in a pony tail, and when he he dipped his head back, his hair flowed around him like water. His whole body was surrounded with silver and green sparkles, and purple clouds of color surrounded his feet and hands. 

Yuri's jaw went slack. He had never... seen anyone... ever... so beautiful. So... _perfect_. Victor was...

"Eh, he's ok. What's with that hair?" Nishigori scoffed.

"Who cares? It's beautiful!" Yu-chan's eyes were shining.

Victor Nikiforov. Yuri wanted to watch more!

☽☾

Yuri landed his jump, and bright yellow burst out around his feet. He couldn't pay attention, though. Completing a spell was a lot harder than just stringing together moves and spins and jumps. His heart was pounding in anticipation. He was already thirteen!

Victor had probably been able to do a lot more than this by this time!

He finished the step sequence, and then went into a spin. He was vaguely aware of the color surrounding his body, but the spell was nearly finished. And.

It was scary, having so many people watching. At least Yu-chan and Nishigori were there, too. And Mari-neechan, and Vicchan. Though, Vicchan probably couldn't see. But, dogs had to be able to feel the colors, too, right? He made his final pose, and took a deep breath.

People all around the rink were cheering.

He looked around, dazed. There was actually... a lot of color around! Some of it was already dispersing, but there were fat splotches of green and blue, and streaks of electric red and purple, and little sparkles around his hands and feet. He... had made this?

Everyone was still cheering, so, embarrassed, Yuri bowed the way Yu-chan had shown him. As he bowed down, he thought about Victor. If he really was a sorcerer, and he got certified today, then someday, maybe... he could perform in the same rink as Victor...?

Minako-sensei, his skating teacher, and the man from the Japanese Sorcery Foundation came out to the middle of the ice where Yuri was waiting. The man from the Foundation - who looked scary to Yuri - smiled nervously, and then fiddled with the microphone, making sure it was on. 

"Ah, well..." His voice echoed, and it made Yuri even more nervous. "I'm pleased to announce that Katsuki Yuri has, as you can all see, achieved a manifestation. The measurement of it, on the Merlin Scale, is 291. That's enough, by nearly a hundred points, to certify that young Katsuki-kun is, indeed, a Ten Thousand Color Sorcerer. Congratulations, young man!"

Yuri's heart was pounding so hard, he couldn't understand the man's words too well, but everyone started to cheer again, so he bowed to the man, and then to the crowd. Then, he looked at Minako-sensei, trying to understand. She was crying so hard that Yuri misunderstood at first, but then she grabbed him into a hug, and said, "I knew it, Yuri! I always knew it!

"You're going to fill the world with beautiful light!"

It had been good enough, then. 

Eventually, Yuri finally was able to get off the ice. There were so many people he'd never met in his life congratulating him and patting him on the back, but then Yu-chan grabbed him into a hug, and Nishigori put an arm around him, too. And then Vicchan came up, jumping up to put his paws on Yuri's waist, barking cutely at him. Happily, he picked Vicchan up, and his warm body and soft fur instantly made Yuri feel more at ease. He rubbed his face against Vicchan's neck, and exhaled.

"I did it," he told Vicchan softly, and Vicchan cheerfully replied with a long series of adorable barks.

☽☾

"Let's try it one more time," Yu-chan suggested, though it seemed like she was out of breath.

"One more? It's already past closing. We're going to get into trouble," Nishigori complained.

"Shut up!" Yu-chan snapped.

Yuri bit his lip. Yu-chan had asked him to teach her how to do a double axel. He didn't think it would be that hard, but Yu-chan was having a bad time. It was unsettling. For so long, he'd been skating hoping to be _like_ Yu-chan. He hadn't even noticed that he'd... surpassed her...

"Um... Yu-chan, maybe..." he started.

"Just one more time!" she asked him desperately. 

"Ah! O-okay..." Yuri placated.

"He's got better things he should be doing," Nishigori grumbled. 

"You can leave if you want," Yu-chan glared at him.

"Let's... um, let's give it more room? Maybe you don't have enough speed." He suggested kindly, and then he went to demonstrate again. 

When Yuri landed, a puff of sky blue color spread out around him.

He circled back to where Yu-chan was, and nodded to her. She nodded firmly, determined, and then she took off.

She was too determined, perhaps. She went into it with too much force, or maybe she just wasn't paying enough attention to the details. She hit the ice overrotated, and she went spinning into the wall.

"Yu-chan!" Yuri and Nishigori went off after her, but Nishigori got there first. "Are you ok?" Yuri asked her while Nishigori reached out to give her a hand up.

She rubbed her head, and then took Nishigori's hand. "Yeah, I'm fine, fine. I don't know, maybe I've hit my limit."

Yuri looked at them curiously. "There's light."

Yu-chan and Nishigori looked at him strangely, and he pointed to their hands.

They looked down at their joined hands, and then they let go of each other like they were on fire. Nishigori held out his palm, and there was a mark there. Yu-chan pulled back her sleeve, and sure enough, the same mark was on her palm.

"It's a soulmark," Yuri said with wonder.

"No! That's..." Nishigori started, but then he and Yu-chan just stared at each other. 

Yuri moved in to get a better look. "It's pretty... like a flower, kinda," he grinned at them.

"I..." Yu-chan started, but she didn't seem to know what to say.

"You're soulmates!" Yuri beamed. "Congratulations!"

"Uh..." Nishigori shook his head, still looking at his palm in wonder. "I... I guess..."

That was amazing! Yuri had never before seen people gaining their soulmark. He'd seen his parents' all his life, but. _A soulmark is proof there's magic in the world,_ people would say. 

And Yuri was one of the people responsible for creating that magic.

☽☾

His hands were shaking.

He'd been all packed and ready to go for an hour, since before dawn. The train wasn't for more than an hour still, though. Yuri had a suitcase and a duffel bag ready to take with him. Everything else was boxed up to be shipped. Of course, he didn't need everything he owned. It wasn't like he was going to be leaving for forever. He just had to think of it like that. It was temporary. He'd be back. And... when he came home again...

He cuddled Vicchan to his chest, but his puppy didn't complain. Vicchan wasn't exactly a puppy anymore, but he was still a good size to hold onto. Yuri rubbed his cheek against Vicchan's head. 

"I'll be back, Vicchan. Promise. I'm going to get stronger, lots and lots and lots stronger." It was hard to imagine he'd get any weaker. "And Coach Celestino is really good. I'm going to learn a lot about spells... and I'm going to compete in festivals all over the world... and when I come home, I'll give you my medals to wear. Just one at a time, because they'll be heavy. How does that sound?"

Vicchan woofed happily, but it all sounded like a lie to Yuri.

He felt sick. He wanted to run off to Minako-sensei's, or to the Ice House. It was impossible, though. It was still early, and anyway...

Everyone knew that today was the day he was leaving. Literally everyone in town. Everywhere he went ever since graduation, it had been the same. _Good luck in Detroit, Yuri! We're sure going to miss you. It just won't be the same without you around._

He was _supposed_ to stay here, wasn't he? Hasetsu hadn't had a Ten Thousand Color sorcerer in over a hundred and twenty years, and the people needed him. He squeezed Vicchan, and Vicchan complained softly, but he didn't try to get out of Yuri's arms.

If he wasn't so weak, he wouldn't have to leave to train. He'd be able to practice here, at home, where he was needed. If he wasn't so weak...

"I'm so sorry, Vicchan," Yuri whispered in a broken voice. "I'll be back... back before you know it. ...I'm going to miss you. I wish you could come with me. But it's. Detroit is far away, in another country. It's across the ocean, and halfway across the country, even. It's. It's _really_ far." Yuri had to stop talking about this. "I don't know... how difficult it is to bring a dog to another country. They have rules and stuff... and I'll be in practice all the time, and studying. You'll be better off here, with mom and dad and Mari-neechan. She promised to walk you twice a day. And all the guests will spoil you like always, because you're the cutest dog in all the world."

Vicchan barked happily in agreement.

Yuri pressed kisses to Vicchan's forehead, and then to his paws. "I'm really going to miss you, though. No one else really understands me." That was a horribly selfish thing to even think. Minako-sensei was always looking out for him. Yu-chan and Nishigori were, too, though they were pretty busy these days. He was going to miss seeing the triplets growing up. His parents worked super hard to make sure he could do whatever he wanted, even though he was never going to succeed his father. Mari-neesan, even, always took care of him, in her own way. And yet. Yet.

See, even now, he was alone here with Vicchan, and everyone kept pretending that his going to Detroit was a good thing, when it was clearly a sign of his weakness.

He wanted to stop thinking. He forced his eyes up, and looked at Victor.

Victor Nikiforov. It had been a _real_ struggle, deciding whether to bring his posters with him. It was inspiring, after all, looking at Victor. Thinking of Victor. Ultimately, Yuri decided that he couldn't, because he didn't want anything to happen to them. His collection was nearly perfect. If he lost or damaged a poster that wasn't in print anymore or was hard to find... that would be a huge tragedy!

His eyes darted from poster to poster. In every image he'd ever seen of Victor, he looked... composed, happy, elegant, powerful. He probably had times, though, when he was upset or hurt or angry or scared, too, right? He _was_ human. Probably. But Victor always overcame everything.

Yuri wanted to be like Victor. 

"I'm going to skate on the same ice as Victor someday," he promised Vicchan.

Vicchan wriggled out of Yuri's arms and put his paws on Yuri's chest, licking Yuri's cheeks. That was how Yuri realized that he was crying.

☽☾

The World Figure Skating Championship was going on, and Yuri felt that he _ought_ to be watching, but he knew that he couldn't. Anyway, he also had another responsibility to burden. It _had_ been five years, after all. He was Ice Castle Hasetsu's first sorcerer in over a hundred and twenty years.

He opened the door, and looked around nervously. Surely, everyone would be watching the Championships, right? In fact, the rink area looked dark. But, since the door had opened, he stepped inside.

Yuko was behind the counter, and Yuri felt a wave of nostalgia hit him hard. She looked just the same as when he'd left, too. 

"Regular hours are over," she said without looking at him. He stood there patiently, not sure what to say. She looked at him. Her face lit up, and she ran over toward him, making him think for a second that she would jump the counter. "Yuri-kun!?"

"Ah! Hello, Yuko-san," he smiled shyly.

"It's Yu-chan," she laughed. She looked at him warmly. "You came here to skate, right? Go ahead. I'll make sure you have the rink all to yourself." She winked at him, and he felt calmer.

"Is that ok?" he wanted to make sure.

She just laughed, though. "Of course it is! ...It's good to have you back, Yuri." She looked like she wanted to say more, but.

He smiled, and nodded. He went over to put his jacket and stuff down on a bench, and then he headed toward the rink. He paused. "Ah... but you can watch, if... if you want." He bit his lip.

It wasn't like he was sure. Since the Grand Prix Final, he hadn't... been able to significantly manifest. Maybe he'd be better off without an audience. If he'd lost his gift... Celestino-sensei kept telling him that it wasn't possible, but Yuri couldn't prove that. 

"Can I?!" Yu-chan beamed at him. "Thank you!"

He took a deep breath, looking at the floor. "It's... nothing to get excited about," he sighed. Before she could object, he headed toward the rink. 

He had to get his head in order.

He tapped on his blades, and slid out onto the ice. He just wanted to get a feel for the old rink again. He made a few slow circuits. He tipped his head back, looking up at the sky. The sun was nearly fully set, and the stars were just beginning to peek out.

He took in a deep breath, letting it fill his belly, and then he released it slowly.

He could still do this, right?

"Do you want some music?" Yu-chan asked.

"Mm," Yuri skated over to her, and then smiled shyly. "It's ok... but." He slipped his glasses off, and handed them to her. "Well... just watch. Please." He tried to smile, but then he turned to go back to the center of the ice.

He could still do this.

He let his arms go slack at his sides, and then he tipped his head down. He could hear the music in his head. He'd played this song at least a million times since he'd first seen this spell. He lifted his head, tilting it back, and he raised his arm dramatically... 

He just focused on the spell. Each element, one at a time. But, thinking about the spell also meant thinking about Victor. The last time he saw Victor... he couldn't think about _that_. He'd never be able to create anything good while feeling so worthless and embarrassed. Instead, he just thought about Victor himself. His beauty, his grace, his power.

Yuri emptied himself of everything except his thoughts of Victor, and he started the spell. 

Once he landed the first jump, he started to feel it building in him. He thought about the first time he'd seen Victor, winning the Junior World Championship, and the way his hair flowed around him, the look on his face. That was right, Victor wasn't just a sorcerer; he was so strong, so talented, it was as if he had magic flowing through his veins instead of blood. One would almost think that he was inhuman in his perfection, but Yuri had seen him behind the scenes. Never that close up, because Yuri was intimidated by him, but it was Yuri's impression that Victor was always smiling and happy. He was also incredibly hard-working and dedicated. He was everything Yuri aspired to be. If he could forever empty himself of the thoughts his own brain supplied for him, and think only of Victor...!

He went into a spin, and he could feel his heart getting lighter and lighter. The next jumping pass went well, and then a step sequence. He came to the side of the rink, and looked Yu-chan in the eye. He skated back, following Victor's poses, smiling. Yu-chan looked happy.

All he had to think about was _right now_. 

Right now, he was connected to Victor through this spell. He could channel Victor using these moves.

That was all he needed.

He went into his final spin, and then the last pose. He was looking up, and he saw it.

Light streaked across the sky.

It... wasn't explosive enough to truly be considered a firework, but he had manifested. Blinking, he looked around. The whole rink was filled with color.

_It was such a relief._

"So beautiful!" Yu-chan started to pound her hands on the railing, her eyes filled with tears. "I'd almost forgotten... Oh, Yuri, you're so beautiful!"

He flushed, and looked down shyly. "...Me, too. I'd almost forgotten, too." He took a deep breath, and rubbed his face with his hands. "Yu-chan, I've been... it's been... _so scary_. I... I'm not sure..."

Suddenly he was grabbed into a one-armed hug from behind. A trio of girls skated in front of him, and Nishigori gave him a noogie. "Looks like everyone in town will know you're home. Welcome back, Yuri!" Nishigori then lifted his shirt and poked at Yuri's belly.

The triplets swarmed around them with cameras at the ready.

"Yuri! You got fat!"  
"Yuri! Are you really gonna stay here from now on?"  
"Yuri! Why don't you have a girlfriend?"

"Now, now, girls, girls!!" Yuko came out onto the ice. She looked at Yuri apologetically. "Sorry, sorry, they're such groupies! Every night, we have to watch one of your videos!"

"This family will always support Katsuki Yuri," Nishigori squeezed him. Yuri tried to smile at him while also trying to get out from under his arm. "Just, take your time. There's no pressure! This rink will always be available to you whenever you want it. 

"You'll figure this out."

Yuri felt something warm roil around in his belly. "...Mm. Thanks."

☽☾

Nishigori was taking care of the dishes while his wife got the triplets bathed. He'd already straightened up the living room and got their beds ready. Maybe today would be one of those days when they got the girls in bed before ten...

The odds were against them, but.

Axel came streaking through first, her hair still wet, screaming about how she was _Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!_ He ignored her. Then his wife, with only had a towel around her, and the other two came trampling through, sopping wet. He finished the last dish, and then stopped Lutz from sneaking a cookie. He helped Yuko corral the girls back into the bathroom. He grabbed a towel to dry the floor.

Yeah, they would be lucky to get to bed by eleven.

Yuko got the girls out and in their pajamas and she was ready for bed. Which meant the bathroom was ready for him to use, and then clean up. As he was heading there, he saw Yuko's phone on the table next to the couch, and the light was blinking.

"Babe, I think you have a message."

"Check it for me, will you?" she was fixing up Loop's hair. Nishigori noticed that the girls shared a look, but those three were always, always planning something, so.

He looked at Yuko's notifications, and...

"Honey? You... You have almost two _thousand_ notifications from twitter."

"...What?" Yuko finished Loop's hair.

"Honey?? You uploaded a video... _Katsuki Yuri manifests with Victor's [Stay Close To Me]_. Honey???"

"WHAT!?!?!"

Axel, Lutz, and Loop were trying to sneak off to their bedroom.

All hell broke loose.

Nishigori couldn't tear his eyes away from the phone, though. Even as he was watching, more and more likes and retweets were pouring in, so he couldn't keep track. So, this was what going viral felt like!?! But...

"You're _supposed_ to share videos of manifested effects! Right? Right??"

"NOT WHEN IT WAS A _PRIVATE_ PERFORMANCE BY YOUR _GOOD FRIEND_ WHO DIDN'T NEED THIS KIND OF PUBLICITY!!!!"

"But he was really good! Even though he's fat!"

"HONEY." Nishigori got between his children and his wife. He shoved her phone in her face, pointing. "Look. Look. I'm not seeing things, am I? That username..."

Yuko's eyes widened as she read that _v-nikiforov_ had liked the video. They looked at each other, and then Yuko spun around as the girls tried to sneak off again. "YOU THREE SIT YOUR SNEAKY LITTLE BUTTS DOWN ON THE COUCH YOU ARE ALL IN SO MUCH TROUBLE!!!!" She shook her fist at them. She turned and pointed at Nishigori. "And you! Call Yuri, give him a heads up. ...Don't tell him that last part, we don't want his head _actually_ exploding."

"Right. Good thinking."

Yuko turned back to the girls, who were pretending to be crying.

Nishigori turned to get his own phone to call Yuri. He set Yuko's phone down, afraid of the ever-growing list of likes and retweets. And now... _v-nikiforov_ retweeted the video... He opened up Yuko's settings and turned off notifications.

This was a nightmare.

☽☾

> _And in magical news today, sorcerer Victor Nikiforov is rumored to have left Russia to go train in Japan with Yuri Katsuki, the skater who failed to manifest at the last Grand Prix Final. However, yesterday a video of him performing Nikiforov's spell of [Stay Close to Me] surfaced online in which he was apparently able to produce a noticeable manifestation even though there was no audience. The Russian Sorcery Foundation has no comment at this time, but sources say that Nikiforov's coach, the legendary Yakov Feltsman, will be available for a comment this afternoon. Nikiforov succeeded in securing both a Grand Prix Final gold and World Championship gold last season. The Japanese Sorcery Foundation has no report on Nikiforov or Katsuki. We will bring you more details as they surface. Make sure to turn on alerts on our news app to get the most up-to-date information. Now, to the weather..._

☽☾

"A handsome foreigner brought him. He's in the onsen now."

Yuri knew, _logically_ , that there were lots of handsome foreigners in the world, and that many of them, probably, had brown poodles, and that the likelihood that _this_ poodle belonged to a non-Victor handsome foreigner was high, nearly 100%. But, since the chance that this poodle was, indeed, Victor's was not 0%...

He chucked off his shoes and ran like a bat out of hell for the baths, ignoring everything except the _desperate, frantic need_ to assure himself that Victor wasn't in their onsen. He ran into the indoor bath fully clothed, and there was no one but old men who were giving him strange looks. Good. He flung open the door to the outdoor bath, and dashed out.

And then everything in the universe stopped making sense.

"Victor. Why are you here?"

That was rude. Yuri's brain couldn't keep up, though. Victor was sitting in his family's onsen. Yuri had sat in that water yesterday, and Victor was there today. 

For a second, Yuri started to think he'd annoyed Victor, and then the other man stood up, he stood up in the bath, he stood up so that he was completely exposed, and he stretched his arm out and smiled charmingly. "Yuri! I'm here to train with you! With my guidance, I'll lead you back to the Grand Prix Final, and victory!"

Yuri was looking at Victor's penis. Some part of his brain had to be aware that Victor was speaking, but the words he was saying made no sense at all, anyway. And his penis was right there, and so were his testicles, and Yuri was looking at them. And. He should stop doing that. And. Try to figure out what Victor was saying, but.

What?

Actually, Victor's penis was super interesting, and his whole body was perfect. And Yuri really, really needed to stop staring.

"Ok, sounds good, enjoy the bath, when you're done, there are robes, please enjoy dinner at your leisure." He nodded. And. Right, he needed to...

"Then we'll discuss all the details over dinner! You can think of me as your coach!" Victor was smiling brightly somewhere above his penis.

Yuri needed to... not be here and staring... "Great. Enjoy." He turned himself to the door, and managed to open it before he stepped through.

He was going to have a really hard time thinking about anything but Victor naked for a long time now.

☽☾

Victor had been in Hasetsu for a week. He had called Yuri a piggie, put him on a strict diet, taken over a banquet room, introduced himself all over town, basically taken over the Ice Castle Hasetsu, caused a minor stampede to both Yu-Topia Katsuki and the Ice Castle Hasetsu, and had ordered Yuri onto an exercise regimen before he could skate again. Yuri, who had always avoided Victor at festivals because he idolized him too much was now spending half his waking moments with Victor.

Victor was always friendly and outgoing, no matter the situation, he made an effort to reach out to people, he never assumed anyone knew who he was, but if he was recognized he was gracious and accommodating, he was easily influenced by his surroundings, he liked ninjas, he took at least twenty selfies a day, he was insensitive. 

He wanted to sleep in Yuri's room for some reason the first night. He insisted that they bathe together at night. He kept asking Yuri questions about his life. 

His eyes were so much more beautiful up close than could possibly be conveyed on television or in magazines. He brought a framed picture of himself to Hasetsu, and set it up on his bookshelf, and it was one of Yuri's favorite images of him. He liked to read, and he read anything from romance novels to scientific books.

It was almost like Yuri could get _used_ to having Victor around.

☽☾

This was supposed to be the time when he was finally able to skate again. Instead, he was on his back and a tiny Russian teen with a chip on his shoulder was pressing his foot to Yuri's forehead.

It was always like this.

Finally, Yuri Plisetsky got bored with stepping on Yuri, so he was able to get up. And. Of course, it made sense that people were mad that Victor left Russia. 

"He promised he would choreograph a spell for me first. What has he promised you?"

Yuri rubbed his forehead absently. "We haven't gotten around to that yet..."

"Ahhhh???" Plisetsky stomped toward Yuri, looking like a kitten ready to pounce. Or maybe his tiger-wearing-a-bowtie sweatshirt made him look that way. "How much free time do you have? Victor is very important to the whole world, you know! As if some loser who would cry in the bathroom after _failing_ at the Grand Prix Final could even be helped with _Victor_ as his coach." He sounded really smug and condescending.

Yuri slipped his hands into his pockets and smiled gently. Plisetsky had scared him at the Grand Prix Final, but right now, Yuri was all too aware that he was a _kid_ , even if he was a hugely talented kid sorcerer. "Mm, well, it's not like I know all the details. Let's just ask Victor himself."

"Ah, good!" Plisetsky still looked mad. Yuri couldn't help but think that it was strange... sorcerers were responsible for all the good feelings in the world. How could someone do that while being so _angry_ all the time?

Yuri knew he couldn't do it with his nerves.

☽☾

The triplets came to tell their parents about the additional invasion of Russian skaters. Before their mother or father could say a word, they were sneaking out to the rink. Yuko gave Takeshi a look, but what could they do? They had to keep their children out of trouble. Well... truthfully, that was impossible, so. The had to _mitigate_ whatever trouble the girls would get into.

And Yuko did want to check on Yuri...

They got in just as Yuri Plisetsky was skating out on the ice toward Victor. Behind him, their Yuri was tapping on his blades to keep up. 

"A promise is a promise! You have to choreograph my spell! Let's go back to Russia, Victor!"

Yuri slid in next to the Russian Yuri, and looked at Victor pleadingly. 

"Hmmm... but I've only really just begun here. What to do..." Victor pondered. Yuko had the impression that he was just toying with the Russian Yuri. That wasn't nice... if it were true.

"What's so great about this piggie anyway that you had to come all the way out here?!" Plisetsky demanded.

"Hey!" Yuri objected, but not nearly as forcefully as Yuko would have liked!

"Have you ever manifested without an audience?" Victor asked him brightly.

Plisetsky was taken aback. "Ah... but that was..."

"Th-that really wasn't anything," Yuri hedged. Yuko's heart dropped.

"It really wasn't!" Russian Yuri heartily agreed.

"It _was_ something," Victor corrected them warmly. "Colors are one thing, though the amount of color was impressive enough. But there was a firework, too."

"Just one weak one!" Russian Yuri scoffed.

"I practiced that spell a thousand times, and _I_ never did that," Victor smirked. Yuri turned red and looked down at his feet. "The power to be able to connect to an audience and create something massive with widespread effects... that's the very soul of being a sorcerer. But, if we could do that every day, just practicing, we wouldn't need to hold festivals. The whole _point_ of the festival system is to bring out the biggest and most impressive effects. And yet, with only a tiny audience, he was able to create such... beautiful colors. So different than the colors I made when I skated. Why _wouldn't_ I be interested in that?"

Russian Yuri was practically turning purple with the frustration of having to hold in all his feelings. "But! You promised me! You said you'd give me the best senior debut ever! I was _banking_ on that!"

"It's true, I guess, I _did_ promise, but..." Victor sighed, and he looked at Yuri.

Russian Yuri looked at Yuri, too. Yuri, however, was still reeling from what Victor said about his performance. Unable to hold it in anymore, Russian Yuri turned and pushed Yuri down.

Takeshi started toward them the fastest, but all the Nishigori's were headed around the rink, closer to Yuri.

"That was very immature, now apologize!" Victor commanded Russian Yuri, but he crossed his arms over his chest and pouted.

"It's not his fault," Yuri piped in to Yuko's dismay. "He's just frustrated." He started to get up, but Victor reached out to him to help. Smiling shyly, Yuri took Victor's hand.

"Mama! Color! What was that, they're not even skating! So cool!" Axel jumped up and down.

"That wasn't color, that was just a flash of light, mama, mama, what was that?" Lutz corrected.

"Yuri? Yuri, what was that?" Loop called out.

Victor stared at them, and then he looked down at his free palm, where he'd seen the light, too. And.

"Girls, that's not color, they've been _marked!_ It's their marks, ohmigod, Takeshi, Takeshi, _they're soulmates!_ " Yuko was jumping up and down, slamming her hands on the railing, grabbing her husband and shaking him, and brimming over with joy.

"Yuri! Yuri! Let's see, let's see!" the girls called out to him.

With a dazed smile, Victor displayed his palm for the Nishigori's and the Yuris to see. In the center of his palm, there was definitely a tattoo-like mark...

"Yuri! Let's see yours!" Lutz was the first to get to Yuri, tugging at his arm so she could see his hand, but first of all, Victor wasn't letting go, and secondly, Yuri was wearing gloves, anyway. Victor changed how he was holding Yuri's arm to try to pull up his glove, but.

Yuri took that opportunity to tug his arm away, and he closed his hand into a fist. "What are you all talking about? I'm Victor's soulmate... That's impossible. This is some sort of strange mistake."

Victor stared at Yuri, looking like he was trying to figure out what to say.

Yuri pushed away and glided to the gate, stepping off without even bothering to undo the blade spell. "You should work out this... promise situation with Plisetsky, I'll go... go for a run." He shook his feet as he walked madly away, and the blades and boots dissolved like they'd never been there.

And Yuri was gone.

Victor was slack-jawed, and then he scowled. "Where does he think he's going? This _can't_ be a mistake. Tch." 

"Your soulmate hates you," Russian Yuri patted Victor on the back. "That's hilarious."

"He does not hate me!" Victor hotly retorted. "Don't say something so mean! What's wrong with you?"

"Of course he doesn't _hate_ you, I mean... if you knew Yuri..." Yuko tried to laugh it off.

"Naturally! I need to go find him right away," Victor headed to the gate. 

Yuko quickly stepped in his way. "Ah... I can... understand how you feel. But, it's possible... _possible_ , mind you... that going after him right now is not... the _best_ idea."

"What do you mean?" Victor pouted cutely. "We're soulmates! We were _just_ marked. I haven't even gotten to see his yet! We need to sit down and talk, and probably kiss a little, and take some selfies so I can post them online and show everyone in the world!" Victor finished, excited.

"Oookay, so, see, this is all... _really_ not a good idea," Yuko was breaking out into a sweat. "Takeshi!"

Her husband came up behind her, so at least Victor couldn't push past her to chase Yuri. "Look, man, we get it. I mean." Takeshi held up his hand sheepishly, showing off their mark. "But... we've known Yuri... most of our lives now. And sometimes... Yuri needs. Time. And... space. To. You know. _Process_ new ideas. Change. And... he's really... he's kind of a private person, so..."

"What are you saying?" Victor put his hands on his hips, affronted. "He's _my_ soulmate, you know. Shouldn't I know what to do in this situation?"

"They're being polite," Russian Yuri yawned. "You're an idiotic exhibitionist, Victor, and you're scaring your soulmate away. Chill out, you know?"

"He'll come back, or... you'll see him at Yu-topia, either way," Yuko smiled brightly. "Just let him think this out. And calm down. 

"Trust me, this is going to be fine. After all, there's no way he's not happy right now." She put her hands behind her back, and beamed.

"So, we're not supposed to be post about Victor and Yuri being soulmates?" Loop asked, holding Yuko's phone.

"YOU LITTLE BRATS, GIVE ME THAT!"

☽☾

Yuri stopped running.

He was in a park, over the bridge and nowhere near home or the Ice Castle. And it occurred to him, he left behind all of his stuff. Nishigori would take care of it. He looked down at his hand fearfully. This... wasn't really happening, was it? None of this was happening. This whole time since Victor appeared before him nude, this all had to be some wonderfully strange and wild dream. And _this_... this was proof because...

If Victor Nikiforov was ever going to have a soulmate... well, it wouldn't be someone like _him_ , that was for sure. And.

Yuri tugged at his glove, and pulled it up enough to reveal the palm. 

There it was. It was impossible to deny. But it was _wrong_.

He wasn't good enough.

☽☾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _ [glossary of terms](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8510926) _


	3. Second Spell

☽☾

Second Spell

☽☾

Victor entered Yu-Topia Katsuki and threw his arms out, calling out, "Mama! Papa! I'm home!"

"This is why your soulmate hates you," Yuri Plisetsky muttered under his breath. 

Yuri's mother came out to the lobby carrying a crate of liquor. "Vicchan? Who is this? Where's Yuri?"

"Vicchan?" Plisetsky raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know, mama, he left to take a run and never came back! Well, I have his backpack. And good news! Look!" He held out his palm proudly. "You can officially welcome me to the family!"

Yuri's mother's arms sagged, and she set down the crate slowly. She took Victor's hand, looking over his soulmark. "Toshio!" she called out.

"Oy," Plisetsky poked Victor in the back. "What are you doing? The man himself denied it, didn't he?"

"This isn't something you can deny," Victor rolled his eyes. "Yuri's friends said he just needed time. I gave him time. It's fine, right?"

"I don't think you realize what _time_ means," Plisetsky muttered.

"Mm? What's going on?" Yuri's dad asked.

"Hi, papa!" Victor beamed.

"I don't really understand, but Vicchan says he and Yuri are soulmates?" Yuri's mom told him.

Toshiya came over and looked at Victor's palm. "Oh! But... then..." he looked around.

"Yuri went off somewhere on his own," his mother said, and his parents shared a worried look. 

"It's nothing, it's nothing! He'll come home for dinner. We should celebrate! Ah, since it's a special day... let's all have katsudon!" Victor beamed.

"This is stupid. Where am I staying? I need to get away from you," Plisetsky sighed.

"Hm?" Yuri's mother really looked at Plisetsky. "Are you friend of Yuri's, too?"

Plisetsky reared back. "Like he--!"

Victor stepped in front of him. "Of course! Well, he's like a protégé of mine! Sorry, mama, papa, but can we make up a room for him? Also, for the celebration tonight, do you have champagne? Any vintage would be fine, I'm sure. And let's have a cake! Does Yuri have a favorite flavor? I'm not that picky, but some fresh fruit with it would be good!"

Yuri's parents just looked at each other. His mother looked back at Victor. "Yuri... is all right, isn't he?"

Victor blinked. "Of course he is, why wouldn't he be?"

Plisetsky sighed.

☽☾

When Yuri got home, it had already been dark for over an hour. He came in the back way, and only quietly said he was home, but he hadn't gotten his shoes off before his mother had come to greet him.

"Why don't you ever answer your phone?" she demanded.

Yuri winced. "Ah... Sorry. I left it at the Ice House..." he started. He should have gone back, right? Was it still open? Victor... and Plisetsky, they weren't still there, right? So...

"Ahhh, when will you stop worrying your mother?" she sighed, exasperated.

Yuri froze, and his eyes widened.

His mother's gasped, realizing what she'd said. "Oh! I didn't mean...! Vicchan told us the good news." She reached out and put her hands on his shoulders. "Yuri, everything is all right, isn't it? Today is such an important day for you. If something is wrong, you can tell us about it. We'll do our best to help you out! After all, your father and I might not know much about magic, but we know about soulmarks!" She searched his face, looking hopeful and excited.

Yuri shrank back. "I... I'm sorry, mom, but there's nothing to be worried about. I'm not... Nothing like _that_ would ever happen again. But. I don't know what you're talking about. I just... I went for a run because Victor's... friend showed up. I ended up going a bit further than I expected. That's all. Ah, but I did leave everything behind at the Ice House, so..."

"Vicchan brought your bag back," his mother looked at him quizzically. "I never meant to imply... but. Vicchan... showed us his palm."

Yuri stared at her blankly.

"He said you and he were..." she was looking worried.

"Ah, if Victor brought my bag back, then that's good. But I'm all sweaty. I'm sorry, mom. I should get washed up," he smiled at her brightly.

"Yuri..." she started, but he was already skirting around her.

"I really need to clean up, I probably smell," he laughed. "Oh, you and dad want to close up the kitchen, right? That's fine, I can make myself something when I'm done."

"No, but... Vicchan and everyone are waiting in the dining room, he even made us get a cake," she frowned.

Yuri stopped in his tracks. He was going to take the shortcut through the dining area, but. He turned to take the long way around the back of the kitchen to the stairs in the back of the house. "Oh... but I'm still on my training diet, anyway. You can tell... er, everyone... I guess... they don't need to wait for me for dinner."

"But, the dinner is _for_ you and Vicchan!" his mother protested, but he was already making his escape.

His head was spinning, but he focused on just what he needed to do _at that exact second_. It _had_ occurred to him while he was out that he was going to see Victor again at some point, and this... misunderstanding... still existed. But.

He didn't know how to handle that, so he just ignored it. 

He got to his room, and he shed his clothes. He had to take off his gloves when he did that. He balled his hand into a fist, and sighed. How was he supposed to go into the bath like this? It was a problem. Well, there was only one thing to do.

Once he was all ready, he went down to the baths. He managed to get himself all soaped up without running into anyone, so he figured he was in the clear. If he soaked for a while, then maybe he could just sneak a plate from the kitchen and eat in his bedroom. And then he could deal with Victor in the morning, when he'd most likely have a better idea of what to do.

He just started to rinse when it became apparent that wouldn't work.

"Yuri! _There_ you are! You sure do like playing cat and mouse," Victor boomed. His voice might have sounded bigger because they were in the baths. "I won't say that I mind, though. Nothing worth having should come easily," he purred, leaning down over Yuri.

Yuri tried to shrink himself down as much as possible, but Victor, still in one of the onsen's robes, was getting too close. Way too close! Yuri really had nowhere to go. And Victor's hands ran down Yuri's soapy skin, from his shoulders to his...

Oh, crap, Yuri realized too late what Victor was doing!

"Why do you have a bandage on your palm?" Victor demanded.

"Splinter?" Yuri winced. His voice cracked. He was making a face, wasn't he? He was a terrible liar, and he never, ever should try it. 

Victor looked actually annoyed, and that was scary. The last thing Yuri ever wanted to do was make his idol angry with him. But, Victor's next move was to try to take his bandage off... So, Yuri quickly balled his hand up into a fist.

"What are you doing? Let me see!" Victor pouted.

"Um... no," Yuri bit his lip. His mind was going at a mile a minute and getting nowhere. For starters, he was naked, and soapy. And Victor was so close, so very, very close to him. And Victor wasn't happy with him.

Everything was happening too much at once.

" _Why_ won't you let me see? Look!" Victor held out his palm. Yuri looked at the mark on Victor's palm from the corner of his eye, but then he closed his eyes. 

This couldn't be happening.

"Do you have a problem with this?" Victor demanded shortly.

"...Of course not. That looks very nice." It sounded like Yuri's voice was coming from a million miles away from his body. "I still need to rinse off..." he picked up the shower head and turned it on, pretending Victor wasn't there somehow.

Victor had to step back to avoid getting soaked. 

Yuri got himself completely rinsed off, and then he covered himself up as much as he could with the small towel. "Er, so I'll just, um, soak now..."

"I don't understand. When are we going to talk about this?" Victor held out his palm again. "There's a lot of things we need to figure out!"

"Ah, well, for now, I need to soak, so..." Yuri wasn't looking at Victor. He couldn't. He was also very naked. His being naked made him think about Victor naked, and that wasn't conducive to anything productive.

Victor stared at Yuri, and then he sighed. "Fine. I'll be waiting for you!" he must have been smiling brightly from the tone of his voice, which Yuri recognized from countless interviews he'd seen.

This was a nightmare.

He went to the outside bath to soak, but all he really did was crouch in the water and fret. Victor was going to be waiting for him? Right outside, or in the dining room? Was there an escape? If he was waiting in the bath, or even in the locker area outside the bath, then no, there was no escape. If he went back to the dining room, then there was some hope. 

There was no chance of that, though, was there.

Yuri looked at his fist. He wondered what kind of evil spell was involved in tricking them into thinking they might be soulmates. Since Yuri knew it was impossible, it just seemed so cruel. As if he wasn't already entirely aware all the time of his inadequacies... to pretend he could be bound in all the most important ways to the most gloriously sparkling man in the world... 

It hurt.

Defeated and overheated, Yuri got out of the bath and headed to where he'd stashed his underwear and robe. Completely expectedly, Victor was standing there waiting.

"Did you have a nice soak, Yuri?" Victor asked brightly.

It hurt.

"...Mm. I must have... really overdid it. With, ah. My. Run. I'm really tired." It was difficult to get dressed enough to leave the bath area while still keeping his fist tightly clenched, but Yuri was nothing if not obstinate. He at least had that going for him.

"Ah, that's no good," Victor pouted. "Well, let's eat together quickly and then we can go to bed together!"

It hurt.

"No, thanks," Yuri replied dispassionately. He headed out, determined to go straight to his room. He was starving, but he'd rather feel that than everything else he was feeling.

Victor wasn't about to let Yuri get ahead of him. "I made sure to have a bowl of katsudon kept warm for you, but if you're not in the mood for that, at least have a slice of cake with me! Your mother said that strawberry was your favorite, is that right? There's so many things we need to learn about each other! Mm, Yuri?" Victor put his arm around Yuri's shoulders, steering him toward the dining area.

It hurt.

"Thanks, but you were right, I need to watch my diet if I even have a hope of still competing as a sorcerer," Yuri replied, sounding more despondent than he wanted to, but at least his voice was calm. 

Yuri was slipping away, so Victor tried to grab a hold of his waist. "Now, now, this is no good! Fine, fine, but at least eat _something_ , you _have_ to be hungry!"

"I'm just tired," Yuri sighed. He squirmed away from Victor, and he was nearly in the clear.

Mari-neechan was standing in the hall blocking his way to his room. She had her arms crossed over her chest, and she was looking at Yuri coolly. She lifted one hand, and pointed at Yuri admonishingly. "You know better. No skipping meals."

 _It hurt_.

Yuri didn't even have it in him to protest, but he didn't have it in him to stay down there and eat and try to talk with Victor. 

Mari-neechan's arms dropped to her sides. Taking a step forward, she reached up and touched his fringe, like she was petting a dog. She smiled at him gently. "I'll bring you a tray," she offered softly.

His eyes widened, and he smiled at her, grateful. " _Thank you_."

She stepped aside so he could get past. Victor made to follow him, but Mari-neechan grabbed him by the front of his robe and pulled him into the dining area.

Yuri was _so grateful_.

☽☾

Victor waited in the dining area, even though he really _hated_ waiting, and generally avoided it entirely. Something was really _wrong_ here, and it wasn't right that _no one_ seemed to want to support him in making it right! Finally, Yuri's sister returned to the dining area, smoking a cigarette.

She set the tray in her hand down on the counter to the kitchen, and then she came over to sit at their table. However, she wasn't paying attention to Victor. Instead, she was smiling at Plisetsky, who had fallen asleep at the table. "He's like a little angel!" she grinned, taking out her phone to snap a picture.

"Oh, yes, he's a treasure. When he's skating, or asleep. Have I done something to offend _everyone_ in this town?" Victor asked sweetly.

Mari looked at him sidelong. "You're used to getting your own way, aren't you? Ah, well." She took a long drag of her cigarette. Exhaling, she leaned back. "Look, I guess you're pretty good-looking. And Yuri seems to like you. I've got nothing against you." She took another drag of her cigarette, and then tapped the ash off on a used plate. "But you don't know anything about Yuri yet. That mark doesn't make you his lover or anything. You need to slow down."

"He's in denial," Victor pointed out.

"True," Mari agreed.

"That's not healthy!" Victor couldn't believe he had to point that out, but.

She looked at him oddly. "Yeah. Well. That's my adorable little brother for you. But, trust me. You're still pretty lucky."

"I never thought I wasn't," Victor deflated. "I... _want_ to do what's right here, what's best for Yuri."

"Good," Mari nodded.

"So, tell me what that is," Victor prompted her.

"I dunno," she shrugged. And worse, she looked amused by his distress. She grabbed the nearly empty bottle of shochu and swished it around before finishing it off. "I'm sorry, I really don't! If we knew what was best for Yuri... anyway. If you want to know what's best for Yuri, then you should ask him. But. You have to actually _listen_ to what he tells you."

Victor furrowed his brow, and he _hated_ that, because he didn't want to encourage wrinkles. But. She wasn't being helpful at all!

"You'll get the impression that we spoil Yuri. And we probably do," she shrugged. "I don't expect you to spoil him as much. But you have to be gentle. Because if you hurt him..." She finished off her cigarette slowly, and stubbed it out on the plate. She smiled at him brightly. "I will shatter your fucking kneecaps." Still smiling, she stood up and started to clear the table.

Victor believed she was serious. He rested his chin on his hand, and sighed. 

He sure hoped no one expected him to carry Plisetsky to bed...

☽☾

Yuri was awake for about a half an hour before he pulled the covers down and considered getting out of bed. He was only considering it at first. Slowly, he raised his left hand and looked at the palm.

It was still there.

Sighing, he sat up and rubbed his eyes. This mark was still there, and Victor would still be there... 

First things first. He had to figure out a better way to cover this up. He stood up and went through his backpack. The only KT tape he had was royal blue. Phichit-kun made him buy this because it 'matched his costume,' but it wasn't exactly subtle. Still, this would work better than a bandage. It would hold better, and move with his hand. He wrapped it loosely, and stretched and moved his hand around, making sure it was comfortable.

Ok. That would work. 

He got dressed, and then he had to take three deep breaths before he opened his door. The sliding door to Victor's room was open, so Yuri assumed he was already up. Or possibly even already at the Ice House. Still, he crept past Victor's room quietly. No, it was empty. He took another deep breath, and then headed downstairs.

Yu-Topia Katsuki was already open for business. Yuri's dad was chatting with one of his regulars. Yuri went into the dining area.

Victor and Yuri Plisetsky were sitting at a table. Plisetsky looked annoyed, but Yuri wasn't sure he'd ever seen the kid looking anything else. For a brief moment, he considered slipping out and just eating in the kitchen, but Victor looked up and beamed at him.

"Yuri, good morning! You really aren't a morning person, are you?" 

There was no defense from that smile, or that sunny attitude. Victor really knew how to get to people. Smiling nervously, Yuri went to sit down, but since he chose to sit on the opposite side of the table from Victor, he was sitting next to Plisetsky.

He looked like he might bite, but he probably wouldn't.

"Ah... sorry. You haven't been waiting for me, have you?" he asked sheepishly.

"Like we would," Plisetsky scoffed.

"Yurio only woke up twenty minutes ago," Victor snickered. "Ah, your sister dubbed him Yurio. She's taken quite a shine to our troublesome child."

Yuri gave Plisetsky a bemused look. Yurio pounded his fist on the table. "That is not my name!"

"Sorry," Yuri nodded to Yurio. It did fit him, though...

"Of course, he was jet lagged. You don't have that excuse! But, that's all right. A quiet morning reading is a good way to start the day, too," Victor assured Yuri.

Honestly, it was unfair of one man to be so beautiful. 

"Yuri, good morning!" his mother patted him on the head. "I'll bring your breakfast!"

"Thanks, mom," he smiled at her.

She smoothed down his hair, and then bounced off.

"Aren't you spoiled," Yurio sneered.

Yuri just sighed.

"So I thought today we should start doing some training. You didn't skate at all yesterday. We'll have get started with a routine," Victor suggested.

Yuri started, and looked at Victor hopefully. Was he... going to just ignore this... weird mistake? And... he was going to coach Yuri, for real?

"Wait, wait," Yurio leaned forward on the table. "Don't you think you should start packing? You need to come back to Russia!"

"Eh?" Yuri looked at Yurio, and then at Victor. Wait...

"Mm, is that what you want me to do?" Victor asked Yuri.

Yuri's eyes widened and his mouth went dry. "No..." he had spoken before he could even think. 

Victor smiled warmly at him. "That's a relief, at least! No, I don't want to go back to Russia yet, either. I don't think I can."

"But!" Yurio got to his knees, leaning far enough over now that he could stick his finger right in Victor's face. "A promise is still a promise! You owe me my senior debut!"

"Mmmm," Victor was unaffected by Yurio's distress. "I don't mind, really. But I'm not going back to Russia. So, you'll have to stay here while I choreograph it. How's that for a compromise?"

Yurio opened his mouth, and then he sat down. He glared at Yuri. "And what about him?"

"What about him?" Victor asked, watching Yurio closely.

"Are you going to choreograph _his_ spell, too?" Yurio was still glaring at Yuri, who was just trying to appear harmless.

"If he wants me to, sure!" Victor beamed.

Yuri's eyes widened. Victor would...? For him? His heart started to pound. 

"And what about you?" Yurio continued.

"What about me?" Victor replied, sounding like he was getting tired of this game.

"Are you going to be skating this season?" Yurio demanded.

Yuri looked at Victor, interested.

Victor shrugged. "I haven't decided yet."

"Eh?!" Yurio reared back.

Yuri cocked his head to the side, watching Victor.

"What do you mean, you haven't decided?!" Yurio sounded angry. 

"I haven't decided. What do you think that means?" Victor breezily replied.

"Well, _why_ haven't you decided?" Yurio wanted to know.

Victor took a deep breath and then a sip of his coffee. "It depends on my motivation."

"What does _that_ mean?" Yurio frowned.

"Maybe inspiration would be a better word," Victor smiled, unconcerned.

"So... you really intend to take a year off? Yakov says you won't be able to return if you do," Yurio pouted.

"Yakov doesn't know me as well as he thinks," Victor sniffed disdainfully. 

Yuri bit his lip. He didn't think this had anything specifically to do with him, but. Maybe it did? "It's good for the whole world if you do skate, though," he said quietly.

"Only if I can skate as well as I'm capable of," Victor countered. "And at the moment..." Victor shrugged, and finished his coffee.

"Breakfast!" Yuri's mom brought a tray. She set in front of Yuri a bowl of rice, a bowl of miso soup, a plate with a rolled omelet on it, a plate with a small portion of fish on it, a cup with fruit slices, and a cup of coffee. She smoothed down Yuri's hair again. "Remember, make sure to eat every bite!" 

"Thanks, mom," he smiled at her, a little embarrassed to be fawned over in front of others. 

She frowned at him. "Is something wrong with your hand?"

He froze, and then he put his wrapped up hand in his lap. "N-no, it's fine. Everything's fine."

Yurio snorted. Victor looked unhappy. His mother looked worried. Yuri felt like there wasn't enough air in the room.

"All right," his mom leaned in and kissed the top of his head. "Eat up!" She smiled, but it looked forced.

Yuri stared at his breakfast. He didn't want to look up and see Victor's face, but he was also afraid to move. He had to say something, right? But...

"Are you really going to eat all of that? What a piggie," Yurio scoffed.

"Yurio, be nice," Victor said in his most patient babysitter voice.

"That'snotmyname!" Yurio shot back.

Yuri released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, and he picked up his chopsticks.

He wanted to finish eating quickly so they could go train.

☽☾

"So, let's begin at the beginning. What is your typical protocol for creating a new spell?"

Victor was standing right in front of him on the ice, looking elegant and stylish in just normal sweats. Yuri took a deep breath. "Well. I suppose... my coach has provided a selection of song choices. And. Then once a song has been chosen, we discuss the impressions and feelings involved... and... my coach has... choreographed my spells. So. After we work out the elements, it's just... practice, practice, practice." Yuri felt a little ashamed as he said it out loud. He thought his protocol was pretty standard for figure skaters, but Victor was special, of course. He often commissioned music especially for his programs, created stories to go with the music, and then did his own choreography. Yuri had wanted to do it like that sometime, but it wasn't as if it was easy.

"Mmm. I've watched some of your old spells," Victor stated. Yuri's eyes widened. "I think your greatest strength comes from the passion you can bring to your skating. There are times when your body can melt into the music, and every move you make seems to become color. That's when I like your magic the most!" 

Yuri's heart started to pound. Victor... actually... _liked_ his magic?

"So, let's start like this. I think it might be time to challenge yourself to try something that might test your normal expectations and boundaries. Are you game?" Victor asked him while holding a finger over his lips. 

Yuri thought this might be some kind of trap, but at the same time, it sounded like something Victor would do. Didn't he always try to push the boundaries and defy expectations? And Yuri always wanted to be like Victor, so. "Yes!"

Victor grinned. "Fine. Then, while looking for inspiration for Yurio, I found a piece of music that I really wanted to see you skate to!"

"Really?" Yuri leaned forward, excited. Victor actually thought something like that?

"It's called _On Love: Eros_ ," Victor smirked.

"Eh!?" Yuri slid back on the ice. It was a trap, after all!

"Now, now!" Victor laughed charmingly. "Don't make that kind of face! Isn't it a good match for you?"

"H-how so?" Yuri hit the railing trying to back up.

"Your innocence!" Victor declared happily. 

"Huh?" Yuri made a face. "That doesn't make sense..."

"Of course it does, of course," Victor laughed. He didn't look at all serious. "This is a spell that you're going to be presenting to the world. It should be like an exploration, right? You need to find something new inside of yourself to give to the world. Creating a spell should ignite something inside of you. It has to change you. So, naturally, you have to explore new territory to do that!"

Yuri bit his lip. That actually sounded... really plausible, but... "So... you want me to... explore my... _eros_?"

Victor blinked. " _Well_ , when you put it like that, the answer is _obviously_ yes," he winked at Yuri.

Yuri reached behind him to hold onto the railing, shrinking away from Victor. Was Victor serious about helping him with a spell, or was this all about that weird mistake on their hands??

Victor chuckled, and just slid in closer to Yuri. "Here. Listen." He put one earbud in his ear, and one in Yuri's. He started the song. 

Yuri tried to focus on the music, but he was also thinking about how Victor was standing close enough that Yuri could smell the lightly refreshing aftershave Victor used. From his head to his toes, there was only a small separation between their bodies. And then there was the music. It had a visceral, sensual feel to it. As he listened, he had a strong impression, like the song was trying to tell him something. Or maybe he was thinking strange things because Victor was so close.

"So? What do you think?"

Yuri blinked. He was supposed to be able to think? "It's... too short," he mumbled.

Victor blinked. "Oh! Well, naturally, that's no problem. If you're fine with this as the music, we just need to get a rearrangement and have it be a few minutes longer," he blithely replied.

Yuri spent a moment considering how much that might cost, but decided that it was pointless to mention such a 'trivial' concern to Victor. 

"So? Do you think you can do it? Can you make a spell from Eros?" Victor purred, leaning in. His forehead touched Yuri's. Victor's beautiful eyes were too close, they were all Yuri could see.

Unconsciously, Yuri shrank away, but there wasn't much room left.

Victor watched him, surprised, and then he smiled. "It's funny... you're like a little black bunny. You know... those really fluffy-fluffy, cute bunnies with the floppy ears? What are those called?"

"Eh?" Yuri blinked in astonishment.

Victor put his hands on the railing on either side of Yuri, trapping him. He touched his nose to Yuri's nose. "Such a cute little bunny, but you act like I'm the white wolf, waiting to devour you. You keep running and hiding, seeking out a burrow where I can't get you..." He put his right hand on Yuri's waist, and his left hand on Yuri's right hand. "But I'm not the type of wolf who would recklessly destroy the object of his desire. My appetite for you could be satisfied with just a taste..." He lifted Yuri's right hand to his mouth, and kissed Yuri's fingers, and he opened his hand up, and he kissed the palm, and he licked down Yuri's middle finger, until he got to the tip. He wrapped his lips around the tip, and touched his teeth to Yuri's flesh.

Yuri couldn't even make a sound. He was too shocked and in awe to react.

"Even with just a taste, the wolf ends up being devoured by the bunny. That's how our story goes," Victor licked his lips slowly.

"Oy! Victor! It's my turn now!" Yurio called out from the other side of the rink where he'd been practicing.

Anxiously, Yuri glanced around, but it seemed like Victor filled his entire horizon. Victor's beautiful eyes and Victor's cute nose and Victor's playful smile. He was trapped.

"Sure, sure," Victor called out, his eyes still locked on Yuri. He pulled back, and winked. "Take some time to really listen to the music. If you decide you can work with it, we'll get started with some rudimentary choreography. Ah, Yurio should be ready to take a break in a half an hour." 

"Victor!!" Yurio screamed.

"Coming, coming," Victor made a kissing gesture to Yuri, and then he took off toward Yurio.

Yuri stood there, shaking.

Victor got to Yurio, and Yurio started to berate him, but Yuri couldn't make out his words. It was all a blur. Victor was laughing, though. 

Yuri looked at his right hand. Right, Victor told him to... to...

Right.

Yuri stepped out of the rink. He had to... listen to the music. Maybe... he'd go to the office. Right. He shook off his blades, and walked in a wobbling gait. He was still holding out his right hand, and he had only one earbud in. The other one had just been in Victor's ear.

"Yuri-kun! How's it going?" Yuko smiled brightly at him.

"Ah!" Yuri jumped back. He blinked. "Victor licked my finger." He held out his hand, as if Yuko could see just from looking. "I'm never going to wash this hand again. I wonder why he did that..."

Yuko managed to repress her chuckle, but Yuri still noticed. "Gee, I wonder."

He looked at her quizzically.

"Is Victor going to choreograph your spell?" she asked him eagerly.

Yuri had the feeling she was trying to change the subject. "Mm, it seems so. He thinks I should use a song called _On Love: Eros_. I'm supposed to go listen to it."

Smiling slyly, Yuko leaned in and winked at Yuri. "He wants to make an eros spell with you, huh?"

Yuri leaned away from her. "Er... yes. I... suppose."

"Well, that pretty much answers your question about why he'd lick your finger, right?" she snickered.

"How so?" Yuri wanted to know.

Yuko stared at him for a moment, and then she threw her arms around his chest. "Oh, Yuri, you're so pure! Takeshi and I did a good job raising you!"

"I don't remember being raised by you two at all," he replied flatly. Also, he felt really uncomfortable having his friend's cute wife hugging him. 

"Oh, we worked very hard to keep away all the ravenous fans who wanted to gobble you up!" she giggled, looking up at him and making what he presumed was supposed to be a cute face.

His nose wrinkled in displeasure. "Why is everyone talking about eating me today?"

"Eh? Who else did?" she asked him.

"Well... Victor said something about... me being a bunny... and him being a white wolf or something..." Yuri mumbled, looking away. What an embarrassing analogy! Although, Victor really was like a white wolf, majestic and proud and beautiful. But a bunny? Really?

It was slightly better than being a piggie, he supposed...

Yuko was looking at Yuri like he'd just told her he was taking the triplets for the weekend as an anniversary present. Her hands were even up to cover up her mouth. 

He took another step back. He really was supposed to be listening to this music...

"You don't get it, do you? It's kind of... an eros thing," she smirked. She was acting like she knew something he didn't.

He hated that. "It's about the song?" he asked sharply.

"Well, he's probably thinking more about..." her gaze drifted down to his left hand.

Yuri tucked that hand behind his back. "I don't like that."

"...Why not? I mean... I'm not trying to push," she assured him. "But. We used to... watch Victor's performances together. And collect magazines, and trade posters. And talk about the latest rumors, just. Everything. Shouldn't... _that_... be like a dream come true?" She sounded hesitant and sheepish. 

Her attitude made him uncomfortable and guilty, like he was making her feel badly. "That was back when we were kids. We're not kids anymore! And this... this _has_ to be a mistake."

"Why?" she asked him bluntly. "Why can't it be real? I mean, if someone was going to be his soulmate... why _not_ you?"

"You know why not," he replied sharply, bitterly. He didn't want to talk to Yu-chan like this, but he couldn't hold it in. " _Everybody_ in the _whole world_ knows _why not_. Someone like _me_ could _never_ be the one person alive who is most perfectly suited to _him_. If that were even possible, then the world just wouldn't make any sense." He turned sharply to walk away from her.

He was being cruel to one of his dearest and oldest friends, one of the few people on the planet who actually cared about him as a person.

Didn't that just further prove that he was unworthy of Victor?

"Yuri!" Yuko grabbed his sleeve. "I'm sorry! I wasn't trying to upset you. I just, there's no way I could ever let... _that_... affect the way I saw you. You're not your worst days to me. And.

"Victor came here before this... thing on your hand happened. So. Probably, he doesn't see you that way, either."

"I'm sorry, too," he said, not trying to be cold but desperately working to keep himself from getting uselessly emotional. "I didn't mean to be short with you." He _tried_ to smile, at least. "I really... have to listen to this. Um. Can I borrow the office?"

"Knock yourself out," she nodded. "You know you're free to think of this place as home."

He bit his lip to keep from responding. He managed to nod to her, though, and then he went to the office. There wasn't much here, but there was at least a small sofa, so he laid down, put in the earplugs, and put the song on repeat.

He tried to focus on the song, the way he'd been trained to over the years, but his thoughts kept flying around wildly. One of these earplugs had recently been in Victor's ear. He knew what Victor looked like naked. He was not a bunny but Victor was basically a white wolf. If Victor gobbled him up, then he'd become a part of Victor's body. He could supply energy and nutrition for him, and be useful to him. Maybe Victor didn't see him as a failure who couldn't manifest when it really mattered. He'd stuffed all his posters of Victor in the drawer under his bed and he hoped they weren't getting wrinkled because he'd shoved them in there in a hurry. He should check on them when he got home. He'd been happy when Victor first showed up. He got to spend time with his idol, and see all sorts of new sides to him. And then...

He looked at his left hand, still wrapped up in the KT tape. 

If only that hadn't happened... 

He closed his eyes, and tried to focus on the music. This song seemed more suited to Victor. It was bold and enticing. It didn't feel like something he could embody. But.

Normally, he didn't choose his own music, anyway. It wasn't as if Yuri didn't think the music was important, but somehow he felt like it was better if someone he trusted chose it. Was that it? There was one time when he'd tried to produce his own spell. It hadn't worked out, but he'd thought about an interview where Victor had talked about his process. Maybe Victor's magic was more beautiful because of how he made his spells? But, if Yuri used the music Victor chose, was that any different from how he'd done this before?

He did like this song, though. The more he listened to it, the more he liked it. But, wasn't that true of most music?

He didn't want to think so much. ...Coach Celestino probably knew that about him. That _thinking_ about things only got him into trouble. He got caught up in loops of thoughts, and he couldn't get himself out. Coach Celestino... knew exactly how weak Yuri was. Wasn't that why he chose Yuri's music for him? Well, Celestino tended to do that for most of his skaters, but.

See, he wasn't thinking about the music at all, just everything and anything to depress and hurt himself.

"Oy." A foot hit Yuri's cheek. 

"Ow!" He looked up at Plisetsky who was glaring at him. "What is wrong with you?"

"Victor said it's your turn now. Get going." Every word out of Plisetsky's mouth sounded like a swear, it was amazing.

"Yes, yes," he sighed, sitting up to put his feet on the ground. "How is it going for you?"

"Eh?" Plisetsky glared at him.

"He's... fulfilling his promise, right?" Yuri asked.

Plisetsky blinked, and then he reached down and grabbed Yuri's left wrist. He looked at Yuri's KT tape. 

Yuri pulled his hand away. He was about to say something, but the way Plisetsky was looking at him silenced him.

"Mm. Well. Yeah. Can't be helped, I guess. But. This is fine. You don't need to worry about me. Just worry about yourself. You don't want to spend any _more_ time crying in bathrooms, right?" he taunted.

"Thanks," Yuri replied dryly, and he got up. 

That kid was weird.

He went back out to the rink, and Victor.

"So? What do you think about the song?" Victor asked him brightly.

Yuri didn't know what to say, but. "Why did you really think of this song for me?"

Victor blinked, and watched Yuri for a moment. Then, he seemed to decide something. "When I watched your version of the [Stay Close to Me] spell, I was impressed and surprised. You have a strong sense for emotions, and somehow you convey them with your body. I've always composed my spells to marry the technical and the emotional, but I think the most powerful spells are the ones that rely on the emotions and artistry of the sorcerer. The technical elements should be the support, not the basis of the spell. I've been told, though, that my way of doing things would only work for me. But, you skated my program, and you manifested, even without an audience. It got me thinking.

"Maybe you and I are similar sorcerers. If that was the case, then I could compose a spell for you that would prove that I was right. I thought of this song for you because I thought it was a song that _I_ could work well with," Victor explained.

His honesty took Yuri aback. It confirmed both Yuri's hopes and fears, though.

"Is it no good?"

"No, I can do it," Yuri replied firmly. Victor looked pleased, so Yuri took a deep breath, and continued. "I _think_ I can. What happened at the Grand Prix Final... and... at Nationals. Was. Devastating. I never want to feel that way again. I want to prove that I really am a Ten Thousand Color sorcerer. ...Please. H-help me." Yuri bit the inside of his lip, hard. He couldn't believe he'd actually said that out loud. It would be disgusting to Victor, right?

Victor's eyes widened, and he glided closer to Yuri. He put his hands on Yuri's arms. "That is exactly what I came to Japan to do." He smiled at Yuri, but it was a far different from his normal smiles, be they charming or silly. Yuri's stomach started to do flips. He leaned his head closer, but not close enough that their noses or foreheads actually touched. "Let's get to work, then, shall we?"

"Yes, thank you!"

☽☾


	4. Third Spell

☽☾

Third Spell

☽☾

Yuri had his head down on the table, and he was probably drooling but there wasn't much he could do about it. There was some small modicum of comfort knowing that Plisetsky was in the same position he was, but it didn't make Yuri any less tired. Still. This sort of tired should feel good. Victor had already contacted... whoever he contacted about getting an arrangement of the song timed for a performance. And. They had worked out a general plan for the spell, and started to examine some of his elements.

He hadn't done so much in one day in a while, so he felt good, like he accomplished something.

He also felt like every single muscle in his body had been stretched past its tolerance.

His eyes felt heavy, and it felt like he was fighting sleep. But, he could also just... _let_ the sleep win, right? Just a few minutes. Even though he knew that was a lie, it was a convenient one. And anyway, people fell asleep in the dining area all the time. 

All the time.

Everything faded away. He could hear his Eros music in his head, and he saw all sorts of colors from behind his eyelids. He felt so comfortable and relaxed.

He felt something.

Whatever he felt, he felt more of it. Someone was touching him? And... something wet...? He murmured, and shifted. He realized that his arm wasn't moving when he moved. Blearily, he opened his eyes.

Victor was holding his left hand, and kissing his fingers.

Sharply, Yuri pulled his hand away and stuffed it in his lap. "What are you doing?"

"Mm? What do you mean?" Victor asked innocently, as if he could pull that off.

Plisetsky snickered. "Convincing," he said sarcastically.

"Yuri? What's wrong? You're not eating?"

Yuri sat up straighter, and looked up. His father was looking... concerned.

"Ah! No, I was just... just taking a break. Lot of hard work today! I'm eating, I'm eating!" he picked up his chopsticks and shoved an entire stalk of broccoli in his mouth.

"Spoiled," Plisetsky hissed.

"Hm," Yuri's father picked up the empty bottle of shochu from the table. Wait, Victor had finished the whole bottle? "Make sure you finish that off. The harder you work, the more you need your energy. You, too, Yurio. Sleep after you've finished your plate. Keep an eye on them, hm?" he ordered Victor.

"Yes, papa!" Victor replied sunnily. 

Yuri froze just before taking another bite. He stared at Victor. "Wait. What did you just call him?"

"Papa!" Victor replied blithely. 

"Don't do that," Yuri shuddered.

"I can't believe I've been forced into the role of a supporting character in a freaking romcom," Plisetsky muttered.

☽☾

Nishigori stopped on his way to the office, and diverted when he saw Yuri stretching on his yoga mat. "How's it going?"

Yuri looked up and smiled cutely. "I let my training go for too long. But, other than that, it's going great."

"You need any help? Maybe a quick massage?" he offered.

"Eh? No, I don't want to..." Yuri made a face while he extended his foot to stretch his calf. "Er. If you're sure you have time..."

"What else do I have to do? The rink is all tied up for hours, right?" Nishigori laughed. He sat down on the bench in front of Yuri and patted his knee. Yuri put his foot up on Nishigori's knee, and Nishigori got to work. 

"Thanks, Nishigori," Yuri smiled up at him. 

It wasn't like Nishigori wasn't going to get something out of this, too. "So, how is it, having your idol choreograph a spell for you?"

"Heh," Yuri blushed. "Well. We're still putting it together, but... so far, so good! I still can't believe it's real, though."

"Mm. And..." Nishigori looked at Yuri's left hand, which still had a glove on. "And... how is it going... off the ice?"

"Hm? Well, it's good. I mean, both Yurio and I are in full training mode, so. There's not really much... time for much else." Yuri leaned back, his eyes closing as he let Nishigori stretch out his leg. 

Nishigori pushed his leg up a little more, and he looked away, trying not to think something that was highly inappropriate for a happily married father of three. "Yeah. But the two of you are... getting along just fine?"

"Sure," Yuri nodded. "He's easy to get along with... he's easy to be with. Even if he can be pretty outrageous, too."

"Outrageous?" Nishigori chuckled. "Let's switch legs. What do you mean?"

"Ah, well... he wanted me to take his picture in the bath the other day so he could post it online. And. He insisted on washing my hair even though I didn't need any help. He always wants to taste whatever I'm eating or drinking, even just tea. And." Yuri looked away, embarrassed. "He keeps asking to sleep together... for some reason."

Nishigori ran his hand down Yuri's leg. "Oh, well. Right off the top of my head, I can think of about... a hundred reasons he'd want to, so." He kept his tone light, but Yuri still looked up at him, confused. "Anyway, it's not such a bad thing to get closer, right?"

Yuri looked troubled. "...I just really... want to focus on training, and... getting back into skating. Doing well at the festivals. Hopefully, I can make the Grand Prix Final again, and... you know. _Not_ be a huge embarrassment to my country and the whole planet. I really can't... think about anything else, so."

Nishigori let go of Yuri's leg. He was at a loss. He knew that was how Yuri felt, but. What could he say? "I don't know if... it's a good idea to be thinking about nothing _but_ that, though."

"Not like I can help it," Yuri sighed.

Grinding his teeth, Nishigori desperately tried to think of something _else_ to say, anything to cheer Yuri up. "Well, that's your legs. You want me to do your back? Is your butt feeling tight?" he wiggled his eyebrows.

Yuri laughed. "I'm fine. I soak in the onsen every day, that always loosens me up."

"Let me get your shoulders at least." Nishigori got up and went to sit behind Yuri. "You know... it might be that this is just what you need to... reach that next level."

"This? A massage? You're pretty good at this, but I don't know if you're _that_ good," Yuri teased him casually.

"Not _this_ this. I mean..." He looked at Yuri's left hand, resting at his side. "You know. _Outrageousness_. Like that."

"You think Victor is being weird on purpose to keep my mind off bad things?" Yuri asked dubiously.

"Probably not, but it might have that effect," Nishigori mused.

"Mm..." Yuri sighed, rolling his head back. Nishigori's hands were working his shoulders, and Yuri had his eyes closed, and his lips were parted, and he was groaning ever so softly. And.

"What a nice sight!" Victor beamed.

Nishigori froze. 

Yuri looked up at Victor. "What is?"

"The two of you look so _comfortable_ and _happy_ ," Victor gushed, his hands clasped together over his heart. Nishigori, though, reacted to the look in Victor's eyes by slowly removing his hands from Victor's soulmate's shoulders. "Looks nice! Ah, and my shoulders are feeling tight, too!"

"You want a massage? Nishigori is really good at them," Yuri replied.

Nishigori felt a chill go up his spine.

Victor pouted. "Ehhh. No, I want Yuri to give me one. Won't you?"

"Me?" Yuri sounded confused. "Nishigori is better at them. His hands are bigger than mine." He held his hands up to show Victor, splaying his fingers out.

Nishigori practically facepalmed, and he was completely unsurprised by the momentary flash of anger in Victor's eyes. Victor reached out quickly with his right hand and grabbed Yuri's left wrist. He pulled Yuri to his feet. "Yuri's hands... are absolutely perfect to me." He moved as if to kiss Yuri's marked palm.

With a wild jerk, Yuri pulled his hand out of Victor's grasp, but the force of it sent him reeling back.

He landed squarely in Nishigori's lap.

Victor glared with such force Nishigori was afraid he'd actually die from it. He put his hands on Yuri's waist and helped him up to his feet. That did not abate Victor's irritation. Nishigori slid away and stood up. "Well, I should get back to work, then. Ok! All good, all good!" He slapped Yuri on the back to reinforce what a friendly and completely platonic encounter they'd just shared.

As he scurried off, he heard Yuri ask, "Why do you look so out of sorts? Are you hungry?"

He sighed. There had to be a limit to even Yuri's cluelessness...

☽☾

Yuri sighed, putting his arms on the stones at the edge of the bath. Yurio had been the first one in the bath, and the first one out of the bath. Yuri didn't blame him, really. He'd been working hard, trying to master the spell he was working out with Victor. Well, Yuri was working hard, too. He was also older, and it felt good to let the hot water loosen his muscles.

He rested his chin on his arms and closed his eyes. This was really the best.

A finger slid down his back and traced the curve of his ass.

Yuri nearly jumped out of the water. He splashed and moved away from Victor. "What are you doing?"

"Eh?" Victor looked at him with innocent confusion. As if! "I was just admiring the line of your body. You've really worked hard since I got here! I'm impressed!"

"I... er... thank you..." Yuri crouched down as low as was proper. He watched Victor closely. 

"Why are you so far away? That's so unnatural. C'mon, get closer!" Victor held his hand out to Yuri.

His right hand, palm out and open.

Yuri averted his eyes, but he'd already seen it, anyway. That mark that both haunted and taunted him, exactly like his, though Yuri's mark was perfectly black, and the edges of Victor's seemed more brownish. Yuri couldn't be sure because he wouldn't look, he wouldn't get close enough to it. He huffed, and crossed his arms over his chest. "Why do we have to be closer in a bath? Just relax and enjoy the water."

Victor sighed, and moved to be closer to Yuri. "You know, in Russia, we don't have hot springs like this. We have banya, and we say that the banya stimulates health and conversation. So..." He edged closer to Yuri, and draped his arm over Yuri's shoulders. He pressed himself close to Yuri. "Let's have a nice, deep conversation! I want to know everything about you!"

"That's not necessary, and it's too hot," Yuri complained, getting up. He had to cross in front of Victor to get out.

Victor reached up and laid his hand on Yuri's tummy. He caressed Yuri's skin, moving to keep contact. "Hey. Yuri. Have you... given more thought to eros? And what it means to you? How... it is a part of you?" Victor's finger was tracing Yuri's belly button.

Yuri didn't want to push Victor's hands away because it was hot and this was all very confusing. "Of course I have..." Victor was talking about the spell they were making, right, but... he was also touching Yuri and...

"You know, if you need any help. Any help at all. With any and all aspects of eros... I'm available. I'm completely available for you, to help you in any and every way that you might want or need," Victor was leaning closer and closer, and his other hand was on Yuri's waist, and the fingers that were on his tummy were now moving up his chest toward his...

Yuri jerked back and nearly tripped as he got out of the water. "It's... it's fine, thanks. I'm getting too hot. I'll see you at dinner." He grabbed the small towel he brought with him and covered his groin.

Damn it, he had trouble walking without wobbling but he had to get somewhere private so he could squash this nascent erection. This was his family's onsen!

☽☾

"Well done, Yurio!" Victor praised, clapping.

Yurio bent over, catching his breath. He straightened up, and then glided toward Victor. "All right, tell me how I need to improve," Yurio sighed.

"Mm, wellllll," Victor held a finger over his lips playfully. For a moment, it was like he was considering whether or not to say anything. But. Holding back wouldn't help Yurio, so. "Your jumps are solid, but you need to pay more attention to your landings, also your step sequences are shaky, you need to practice each one about a hundred more times each. Be more mindful of your free leg, you don't seem to pay any attention at all. Overall, you're only thinking about the elements. You can only make colors like that, you need to find a deeper thread if you want to truly manifest. Perhaps another trip to the temple..."

"I'm not going back to that place!"

"At any rate, take a break, it's Yuri's time." Victor smiled brightly for Yurio, mostly because it was sure to annoy him. 

"Right, right, whatever. Let the piggie skate," Yurio grumbled, getting off the ice.

Yuko was right there, offering him a water bottle. He wasn't even nice when he took it, but he kept looking at her sidelong. 

Kids were so cute.

"All right, Yuri, are you ready?" Victor called out.

"Yes!" Yuri was getting into position in the center of the ice.

"All right..." Victor was about to start the music, but there was an interruption.

"Ohho, looks like my timing is good. Yuri-kun, will you be rehearsing now?"

"Ah! Nakamura-san!" Yuri quickly skated over to him. 

Frowning, Victor started after him.

When Yuri got to the railing near him, he bowed fully from the waist. "It's good to see you again, sir!"

"That's my line!" the older man, Nakamura, apparently, replied, smiling. He reached over and patted Yuri on the head. "I saw some color already, kiddo. It's good to have you back. Sorry I haven't been by to say hi before now."

"Oh! No no no!" Yuri shook his hands in emphasis. 

It seemed to emphasize to Victor that he was wearing gloves, but that wasn't unusual while skating, at least.

"I'm sure you're very busy. As always, thank you so much for generously giving us free use of the rink," Yuri bowed once again. "Ah! Please let me introduce you..." he turned, and started when he realized how close Victor had gotten. Victor would like to think that Yuri would be more aware of his presence, but. "Ah. This is... this is Victor Nikiforov, who I'm sure you're familiar with."

"Hiiii!" Victor beamed brightly, waving at the old man. "I'm Yuri's soulm--"

"Ahhh a-and over there, that's Yuri Plisetsky," Yuri cut Victor off. Victor narrowed his eyes, but he didn't want to show a displeased expression in front of a stranger. "Victor is choreographing a spell for both of us. Victor, Yurio, this is Nakamura-san. He owns the rink."

"For now, at least. I've seen you both skate before, 'course. It really is a big pleasure to have such fine sorcerers here at our humble rink. If y'wanna have a show of some kind, work out the kinks in your programs, just go right ahead. I know everyone in town would be thrilled." Nakamura nodded to both Victor and Yurio.

"Mm. Thanks, old man," Yurio grumbled.

"Yurio!" Yuri snapped.

"Don't give a thought," Nakamura laughed. "Would it be all right if I stuck around to watch?"

"Of course!" Yuri replied quickly. Then, he blushed, and rubbed the back of his neck. "N-not that I think it'll be anything special... ah, we're still figuring out the spell, so..."

"I'm familiar with th'process," Nakamura winked at him.

"Right!" Yuri bowed to him again, and then he went back to center ice. 

Victor leaned against the wall near Nakamura and smiled blandly at him. He started Yuri's music, and Yuri began his seductive dance. Even though Victor had moved his position, Yuri made sure to wink in his direction still. Good.

"Are you selling the rink, sir?" Victor asked quietly while they watched. 

"Oh, no, no, no," the older man chuckled. Yuri turned in his step sequence, and a trail of sparkling purpled floated behind him. "I promised Yuri-kun the rink when he was certified. Just makes sense, really. A rink needs a sorcerer. And this way, Yuri-kun will always be home here."

Yuko and Nishigori came to stand next to Nakamura, and Yurio followed Yuko, his eyes on Yuri on the ice. "What the... hell..."

Yuri went into a spin, and the air around him became stained with deep indigo. He straightened out, and his hands splattered dots of burgundy in an untidy line. The next step sequence involved a twizzle, and sparkles of sapphire spun out around him in cotton-candy-like ribbons. 

"Victor," Yurio asked with urgency.

"You saw his video of [Stay Close to Me]. What did you expect?" Victor grinned. It was exciting to watch, certainly. And.

This was Victor's soulmate.

Naturally.

Yuri's first jump was a triple axel, and he landed it decently, but it would be easy to think he'd done brilliantly because of the bright pop of green bursting out from where he landed. 

Yurio came right up to Victor's elbow. " _How?_ " he hissed.

Victor's smile widened. 

More jumps, more bright bursts of color, and they were starting to condense, they were starting to accumulate, even without a significant audience to create a feedback loop. Another step sequence, another spin, there was more splatter, more sparkle, more fat, wet-edged blotches of color floating around. A blob of orange floated near Victor, and he reached out to run his hand through it. There was no substance to it, and his hand couldn't affect it, but still. 

Yuri went into his final spin, and when he finished, the whole rink was filled with color. 

Yuko started to cheer immediately, and Nishigori whistled. Yuri smiled and blushed, and then came over to them.

Victor greeted him happily by patting him on the shoulders. "Oh, my, we have _so_ much work to do!" he told Yuri cheerfully.

Yuri grimaced. "Ah... of course..."

"How do you do that?" Yurio demanded.

Yuri blinked, taking a water bottle from Yuko. "You're a sorcerer. You know how it works."

"There's no audience here!" Yurio threw his hands up in disgust. "No... cheers, no applause. How do you make the colors without an audience to appreciate them? It's... almost a waste." But even Yurio couldn't entirely dismiss Yuri's accomplishment, Victor noted.

"You don't... connect to the audience and then make magic," Yuri looked at Yurio, puzzled. "You make magic _to_ connect to the audience."

"Heh?" Yurio obstinately retorted.

Yuri sighed and took a long drink. "Well... look. When were you certified? Probably... like eleven?"

"I was twelve," Yurio corrected, annoyed.

"That's irritating, but ok. I was certified when I was thirteen. And I was the first sorcerer to use this rink regularly for like..." he looked at Nakamura.

The old man winked. "Oh, about a hundred and twenty years, and some change."

"Right. So, everyone in town was pretty excited. I mean, the closest place to see Ten Thousand Color sorcerery at work regularly here is... Osaka, usually. And that's on the mainland. Every day when I practiced, tons and tons of people would fill up the rink here," he pointed to where the spectators could stand. "Four or five deep. But Nakamura-san recognized that I was getting... overwhelmed by the attention, so he closed off the rink during practices. Even still, when I was going in, there would be people camped outside, just... waiting to see colors through the windows, or coming up into the sky. So... even if the people weren't right here around me, I always knew that they were _there_ , and if I made colors, they would reach people.

"See... you make the magic... and _it_ connects to the audience. Of course, if the audience is huge, like at a festival, then their reaction feeds the magic, but. It starts with you reaching out with the magic... and then it reaches people."

Yurio's eyes were wide and he actually looked like he was listening for once.

"I've been telling him this for _years_ ," Victor stage whispered to Yuri.

"You have _not_ ," Yurio rejected Victor. "You always made up some nonsense like, _It's not **hearing** them, you've got to **feel** the audience on some deeper plane of existence_ or some such shit!" 

"Language," Victor sighed. "And that's about the same thing."

Nakamura chuckled. "I'm afraid our Yuri-kun had a bit of a... what's the phrase... baptism by fire? We're all very proud of him 'round here. Take good care of our favorite son, please." Nakamura winked at Victor.

"N-Nakamura-san," Yuri demurred.

"I fully intend to!" Victor replied cheerfully, winking at Yuri saucily.

Yuri reared back, turning red.

"Ah, 'fore I go, Yuri-kun... here." He pulled something out of his pocket, and then held out his hand. He let the item dangle, and... it was a key, hanging from a keychain of dull silvery metal in the shape of the ninja mascot of the Ice House.

Victor noticed that Yuko was covering her mouth with her hands, and Nishigori was beaming.

Yuri's jaw dropped, and his whole body shook. "Na-Nakamura-san... Is... is it... all right?"

Nakamura smiled warmly at Yuri. "You're all grown up now. Can't tell you how pleased I am. It won't be long before I can turn this whole place over t'you. Here." He dipped his hand up and down, indicating that Yuri should take the key.

Yuri held out both of his hands, and bowed down from the waist again. With his head down, and called out in a booming voice, "Thank you, Nakamura-san! D-don't worry, I'll take good care of this!"

Nakamura dropped the key into Yuri's waiting hands, and then he patted the back of Yuri's head. Again. "You're a good kid, Yuri-kun. And, well, with three sorcerers in town... Just make good use of that."

"We absolutely will!" Yuri promised, but he wasn't lifting his head.

"Take care, kids," Nakamura bid them goodbye. He patted Nishigori on the back as he walked by.

He left the rink, and Yuri was still bent at the waist, clinging to the key.

"I don't get it," Yurio leaned over the rail to get a better view of Yuri's face. "It's just a key. Why are you leaking all over the place?"

Yuri shot upright, and sure enough, his face was covered in tears. "Ahhhhhhh I gotta pee!" He bolted toward a gate near the door.

Concerned, Victor took off after him. "Yuri?"

"Um..." Yuko began, but Victor wasn't waiting around for advice. 

He followed Yuri out of the rink, and across the lobby to the bathroom. Yuri was standing over a sink holding the key in his right hand, sobbing while trying not to sob.

Victor came up and put his hand on Yuri's back, and Yuri jumped about a foot. 

"Victor! What are you... why did you follow me?" Yuri asked frantically.

"I wanted to be sure you were ok," Victor replied, a touch miffed that Yuri was even now keeping his distance. "I don't understand what's going on here, but if you want to talk about it..."

"I don't!" Yuri replied hotly.

"Ah, crying in the bathroom again, I see," Yurio strolled in.

"What are you doing here?" Victor sighed.

"I had to pee, too!" Yurio shrugged.

And then he headed to an actual urinal, and started to unzip.

Huffing, Yuri wiped his cheeks with his sleeve, and stomped out. Victor trailed after him. Yuri went to his backpack, opened it up, and unzipped a hidden pocket inside. He stuffed the key in there, and then zipped it up, patting the pocket to be sure it was safe.

Victor sat down on the bench near Yuri, and said quietly. "Hey. Yuri. Good for you."

Yuri looked at him, startled. He searched Victor's face, looking for something that Victor couldn't guess at, but he seemed finally satisfied with whatever he saw. "Yeah." He looked back at his backpack, and smiled so softly, so beautifully, Victor thought his heart would break apart and grow six times larger from looking at it. "Thanks."

Victor wanted badly to touch Yuri, even just hold his hand, but he was afraid of being rejected _yet again_.

☽☾

Yuri laid down on the bench and stretched out, tipping his head back so his crown pressed against the wood. He inhaled, and lifted his right leg to his chest, and grabbed it below his knee, interlacing his fingers. He exhaled. He inhaled, and exhaled, and raised his head and shoulders, touching his nose to his knee. He exhaled, and released.

Victor sat down on the bench next to him, even though there should only have been a little bit of space there. 

"Good practice, Yuri! Do you need help stretching out?"

Yuri made a face, and moved to work his left leg. "Er... no, I'm good..."

"Tch. I'm going home with the Nishigori's. They're feeding me," Yurio looked down on Yuri and Victor in disgust.

"Ok! Behave yourself, remember that she's married!" Victor cheerfully warned Yurio.

"How am I supposed to forget with her spawn crawling all over me?!" Yurio demanded, but he was practically admitting that Victor was right and he had a crush on Yu-chan.

Yuri restrained his amusement.

"Yurio, Yurio, let's go!" Axel grabbed Yurio's right hand.  
"While Mama gets dinner, we'll show you our room!" Lutz grabbed his left hand.  
Loop puffed her cheeks out and jumped in front of him. "Yurio, let's take some pics together to post!"

"Mm, Yu-chan's cooking... good luck with dinner," Yuri smiled wickedly. 

"I know you didn't just insult my cooking," Yu-chan sang out sunnily. " _When_ was the last time you even ate anything I cooked?"

"Are you sure you want to remind him of that, honey? Wasn't he laid up for like three days after eating..." Nishigori started.

"Takeshi, shut up! We were in _high school_ back then! I didn't know that yogurt would make it perishable!" Yu-chan punched her husband in the gut.

"No, I mean, I think that's something you _should_ know," Yuri teased her. 

"Brat!" she pulled down her eyelid and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Anyway, we're just going to order pizza," Nishigori sighed.

"Takeshi!" she gave him another good punch to the gut.

"Girls, don't grow up to be violent like your mother," Yurio whispered to them, and they all giggled. 

Yu-chan grabbed Yurio by his collar and shook her head. "Lock up, Yuri! Behave yourselves, ok!"

"No promises!" Victor waved goodbye to them cheerfully.

Yuri flushed and looked away. He should get up, especially since Victor was so close, and now they were...

"Alone at last," Victor purred. He put his hands down on the bench on either side of Yuri. His hair was hanging down, and Yuri could see his eyes, his beautiful eyes and the soft expression on his face. "Since the Nishigori's are babysitting our child, why don't we go out on a date?"

"Engh hmph gnnaoh," Yuri replied with great intelligence. He turned his face away, trying to remember that breathing was important for some reason. It was unfair that Victor was so incredibly beautiful and that his eyes were literally the most beautiful eyes any human ever had the pleasure of looking into in their life. He tried to push himself away from Victor but he wasn't being given any room. He was trapped. "Since when do we have a child? A-anyway, it's been a long day... and I'm sweaty..."

"Hm?" Victor leaned in and put his nose right next to Yuri's neck. Yuri could only freeze up in shock as Victor sniffed him. "Mm, but you don't smell bad to me. _That's_ promising, mm?"

Yuri's eyes widened and his brain shut down and he actually pushed Victor back and he sat up and he was shaking and he moved away from Victor. "What... what are you talking about? That's... not..." He stopped himself from saying _that's gross_ , but he couldn't even look in Victor's direction. "M-Makkachin probably needs to be walked. And it's late."

"You still have to eat," Victor coldly replied. His tone was so strange that Yuri couldn't help but look at him fearfully. As soon as he looked Victor's way, though, Victor beamed at him. "It's not so bad to do something special now and again, right? It is Friday, after all."

Yuri looked away, feeling ashamed of himself. He was making Victor unhappy, wasn't he? "A-at any rate, we should get going," he reached over and picked up his backpack. 

Victor sighed, and got up. 

They turned out the lights on the way out, and Yuri took great care to lock the door and then hide his key away again. Victor was playing with Makkachin, who was licking his face and barking cutely. Yuri slung his backpack on and waited for Victor to get on his bike. He halfway had figured that if he just took a slow pace home, by the time he got there, Victor would have gotten bored and gone off somewhere on his own. However, Victor didn't get on his bike. He walked it back home, keeping pace with Yuri the whole way, no matter how slowly Yuri walked. Eventually, Yuri got nervous enough that he picked up his pace, but nothing seemed to bother Victor, not even that Yuri wasn't talking to him. They went to the baths together, but fortunately Victor didn't try anything weird.

If he had, Yuri could have blown him off for being _outrageous_ once again, and begged off by saying he was tired. He _was_ tired, but he also didn't want Victor to be upset with him. 

It was complicated.

When they were out of the bath and in the locker area, Yuri took a deep breath. "If... if you still want to... go out to eat." It was not a date, of course. That barely needed to be said, right? "Well. What... what sort of food do you want?" Hasetsu wasn't a large town, so it wasn't like they had every kind of cuisine, but.

"Great! I want to go to someplace that you like! I want to know more about you, Yuri!" Victor looked too happy for Yuri to get upset.

Mostly. "Eh... well, you know, my family runs a restaurant..." he hedged. It was true, though. He never went out to eat much growing up since...

"Aw. But, surely, you have someplace that you like? Someplace you went with friends after school, or... someplace for special occasions?" Victor prodded.

"Mmmhm," Yuri looked down. He never went anywhere with 'friends,' except well. Maybe there were times with Yu-chan and Nishigori that they went to, like, get ice cream or to a convenience store for treats after skating. That certainly didn't count. There was that one burger place... it was pretty famous and would be fast, at least. But. After living in Detroit, Yuri wouldn't mind never seeing a burger again, anyway. So that left... "Ok, well. I guess... we'll have to dress sorta nice, then."

Victor's eyes shone brightly. "I'll get ready!"

Yuri's heart sank. Victor for sure thought this was a date, right? But, he had no reason to think that... besides... Yuri balled up his left fist. No, there was no reason to think that, and anyway Victor was probably just teasing him earlier about going out on a date. He was teasing about Plisetsky, right?

Half of Yuri's 'nice' shirts were still in his suitcase. He hadn't really committed to unpacking. He had at least one shirt that wasn't wrinkled, though, and it was blue, and... blue was a good color for him, right? And he had black pants, so. That was good enough, right?

He went out to the hall and knocked gently on the frame of Victor's door. "Ah, Victor? I'm ready whenever you are."

"Just a minute!" Victor called out.

Yuri was just wondering if he should head down to wait for Victor when the door slid open. Victor smiled at him, and Yuri felt his stomach drop. Victor was wearing charcoal grey pants that even Yuri could tell were expensive, a black double breasted vest with fancy silver buttons, and a white dress shirt with the collar left open. Everything was tailored and fitted perfectly, following the lines of Victor's body with precision.

Carelessly, Victor brushed his bangs back. "Ah, I had trouble deciding between a blazer with a plain shirt or this. What do you think? Do I look all right?" He posed sexily. Or maybe he was just so naturally sexy that any pose would look that way, Yuri had no way of knowing. And then Victor started to roll up his sleeves.

Yuri's tongue was twice as big as the inside of his mouth. "N-no, I mean. You look... you look really great. Really, really great." He clamped his mouth shut. Damn it.

"Thanks!" Victor winked at him. "Ah..." he stepped close to Yuri, and touched Yuri's collar, probably fixing it? "This is a nice color for you."

"Erffmhm," Yuri had no idea what he even was supposed to say to that. 

Victor beamed, and then he put his hands in Yuri's hair. "Wow, your hair is so nice and thick! I can't tell if it looks better pushed back or not. Both ways are good!"

Yuri was too scared to even pull away. He was entirely frozen. Why was Victor touching him like this? It wasn't like he was good-looking like Victor was!

Victor waved his right hand, palm facing Yuri, in front of Yuri's eyes. "Yuri?"

Yuri turned away, flushing. "O-okay, well, are you ready? Let's go..."

"Oh, one second," Victor breezily said. He went over to his bedside table, and sprayed something on his wrists, and then he rubbed his wrists on his neck and behind his ears. 

Eyes widening, Yuri looked at the bottle on the table. That was... some kind of cologne, right? He didn't know much about these things, but the bottle was small and square with a silver, squarish top, and that said Chanel on it, right? 

Victor was definitely thinking of this as a date, right?

"Ok, all ready!" Victor declared. He smiled at Yuri, and then he put his wrist under Yuri's nose. "Do you like this scent?" he asked huskily. 

It was his right hand, and he had his palm open. Yuri jerked back, and looked away. "Ahh... I. Smells good. I guess. I don't really know much about fragrances."

"Hm. I've heard that it's not as common in Japan to wear scent. Yuri is lucky that he naturally smells good!" Victor put his arm around Yuri's shoulders, and then he actually sniffed Yuri again!

Yuri ducked out from Victor's grasp, and hurried ahead to the stairs. "Ah... well... it's already late, so we shouldn't. We shouldn't waste time. Is... is Makkachin ok?"

"I'm sure he's being spoiled by your dad and the guests," Victor sighed, like he couldn't understand how his puppy could be so spoiled.

Yuri nodded and went on ahead. 

At the lobby, Yuri's mom greeted them. "Oh, are you boys going out to eat?"

"Yes, mama!" Victor declared happily.

"Well, well, have a nice date!" Yuri's mom chuckled.

"Mom, it's not..." Yuri started.

"Thank you!" Victor cut him off.

Damn it, this was really taking a joke too far.

When they got out to the street, Victor looked around. "Should we call for a car?"

Yuri blinked. "It's... it's not that far. Well, in Hasetsu, nothing is that far, I suppose," he smiled sheepishly.

"Ok! Lead the way!" Victor beamed. 

They took a few steps when Victor tried to take Yuri's hand, but he pulled away. Victor just walked even closer to him, then. "So, where are we going?"

"Mm. Well. Minako-sensei would sometimes take me out to eat here before a festival. I guess. To calm my nerves or something? But. It's probably the nicest place to eat in Hasetsu, so." Yuri shrugged. Victor was used to the all the best restaurants all over the world. He seemed to like just about anything good to eat, so it most likely didn't matter, but.

There was no way Yuri could impress Victor.

"Ooh, that sounds good! Do we need a reservation?" Victor asked.

"...I have no idea," Yuri blinked.

"So, did you walk to school every day, too?" Victor chatted.

"Yeah..." Yuri sighed. He pointed vaguely in one direction. "It was over there. The middle school and high school were right next to each other. We even shared some sports fields. The elementary school was actually further away, so there were parents who would walk all the neighborhood kids together." Everyone had to hold onto the rope. Yuri was always at the back of the rope, essentially walking with the adults.

"Oh! And what subjects did you like? You went to college, too, right?" 

Yuri nodded heavily. "I don't know... about subjects. I didn't like or dislike any classes especially. I guess I liked music the most in high school, but I can only play the piano or keyboard, and only just decently. You didn't go to college, right?" But Yuri already knew that, because as a fan of Victor's, he knew all sorts of weird little details about Victor's life that he shouldn't know as an acquaintance. 

"Well, I was technically working at seventeen, so. I didn't actually really finish high school, but they gave me a diploma at the end of the school year, anyway. I supposedly had tutors, but Yakov made sure they never interfered with my practices," Victor shrugged. "It was really too bad, though! I never spent any time with anyone who wasn't a sorcerer for years! I think I would have liked school!"

"You probably would have," Yuri agreed. Victor would have been popular and outgoing and friendly. If he'd gone to school in Japan, every girl in the school and most of the guys would give him chocolate on Valentine's day. Yuri would have left him chocolate without signing a card. Ah, but Victor was four years older than him, so he wouldn't have been in school at the same time as Victor. 

That was too bad.

"Oh, it's right over there," Yuri pointed across the road to a building on the curve of the river. As they crossed to Saisson D’or, Yuri explained. "It's French cuisine, but they only use fresh, local ingredients, so it's... Japanese French. And, well, we're _here_ , so it's mostly seafood."

"Sounds great!" Victor declared, but he was always kind.

When they got inside, the owner was actually delivering a dessert to a table near the door, so while Yuri was still stammering to the maitre d' that he did not, in fact, have a reservation, the owner called out to him. 

"Yuri-kun! Welcome home! I was hoping you'd stop by!" 

"Maeyama-san," Yuri bowed. "Thank you."

"No, no, it's always good to see our favorite son," Maeyama-san laughed. Yuri flushed. To be called that right in front of Victor...! "A table for two, then?" from Maeyama-san's arch tone and amused look, Yuri felt panicked. He was going to think, too, that this was a date! 

"Ah, yes, but..." Yuri began.

"Just give me one moment, I'll have our best table ready for you and your gentleman!" he winked at Yuri, whose heart was in his shoes. "Let me get you a candle!" he offered.

"Oh, that's not..." Yuri tried.

"Thank you so much!" Victor put his arm around Yuri and beamed.

"Victor!" Yuri hissed, but Victor ignored him.

Various patrons around the restaurant were looking at them. Pretty much everyone in town knew Yuri, and everyone in the world knew Victor. Yuri even spied a few younger people taking out their phones.

This was horrible.

"All right, come with me!" Maeyama-san directed them.

They were taken to a table in the front of the restaurant by the windows with the best view of the river. There was a small bowl of water with floating candles in the center of the table, and rose petals strewn over the tablecloth.

"Oh, how beautiful!" Victor declared, leaving Yuri no room to protest.

Still. "You _really_ didn't have to go to any trouble," Yuri sighed.

"Anything for Yuri-kun," Maeyama-san laughed. After they were seated, Maeyama-san clapped his hands together. "Now, I can give you menus, but if you'll permit me, I'd be happy to prepare a special series of courses from our best selections, just for you."

Yuri looked at Victor quickly to be sure, and then he bowed to Maeyama-san. "Anything you recommend will be more than suitable."

"Oh! And Yuri-kun, you're all grown up now, too! I'll select a nice bottle of wine to go with dinner!"

Yuri shook his hands. "No, no, that's not..."

"Unless you'd prefer champagne?" Maeyama-san winked at Victor.

"Mm!" Victor grinned. "But I think since you're preparing the menu, a wine to compliment the meal would be best."

"Very good, sir," Maeyama-san bowed to Victor. And then he winked to Yuri, as if Yuri didn't already know that Victor was the best catch in the world.

Yuri sighed as Maeyama-san happily went off. There were still people staring at them. Everyone was going to think this was a date...

"Yuri, sit up straight," Victor commanded.

"Ah! Sorry!" Yuri straightened up immediately.

Victor badly suppressed a chuckle. "You really are a good boy," Victor smirked. 

"Don't tease me," Yuri pouted.

"I can't help teasing you a little," Victor winked. "You're very cute when you're being teased."

Making a face, Yuri turned his head to look out at the river. "Cute? You're calling me a bunny again, then," he sighed.

"You prefer something other than cute? Handsome, maybe? Or sexy?" Victor purred.

"I-I have no need for you to lie to me," Yuri squeezed his hands into fists, pressing them into his thighs. 

"Mm. I wouldn't lie to you," Victor replied, and he sounded serious, and.

Hurt?

Yuri's eyes widened, but he was afraid to look at Victor.

Maeyama-san came by again with the appetizer and two short flutes of a sparkling Asti. Once they began their meal, it was marginally easier to just talk about the food or the settings. Maeyama-san also wanted to be sure they were both happy. Yuri explained between courses that the head chef was a Five Hundred Color sorcerer, and that he used to work in Tokyo before coming back home to avoid the stress of a five star restaurant. With dinner, Maeyama-san brought out fresh glasses and a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon that he said he'd been saving for a special occasion. Yuri felt guilty, but Victor raved about the wine, so Yuri supposed that the wine was going to a good purpose. 

Yuri himself didn't want to drink too much, but he also didn't want Victor to get drunk. 

For dessert, they had a selection of fresh fruit with cream and chocolate drizzle, and a nice, full-bodied espresso. Yuri figured this meal was going to cost him an extra hour - _at least_ \- running tomorrow, but he'd finally managed to relax enough to enjoy himself, and Victor looked happy. He could even chat with Victor without getting embarrassed, so that was a plus, too. 

When their plates were finally being cleared, Yuri nervously waited for the bill. Actually, the last time he'd been to Saisson D’or was just before his high school graduation, and Minako-sensei always took care of the bill. Yuri had no idea in the world how expensive it was. He didn't want Victor to pay, but...

Maeyama-san came over to bid them goodnight, and he ruffled Yuri's hair while he did. 

"Eh?" Yuri smiled. "Maeyama-san... about the bill..."

"Oh, no, no, no, let me take care of it," Maeyama-san protested. Yuri's eyes widened. "We're so happy to have you back home, Yuri-kun. And we're happy you came to spend the night with us," he looked significantly at Victor, and then he looked at Yuri and winked at him in an exaggerated fashion. 

Yuri felt himself panicking again. Maeyama-san wanted to give him a free meal because... he thought Yuri and Victor were on a date, right? That was like stealing, then, right??

"Absolutely everything was perfect!" Victor proclaimed. "Thank you, sir, we're looking forward to coming back!"

"Any time, any time at all!" Maeyama-san laughed.

Yuri managed to get to his feet and walk out, but he bowed to Maeyama-san about eight times. He felt so guilty and selfish. 

He was stealing from people who cared about him.

Once outside, Yuri was about to head to the road to go back home, but Victor took his arm and and led him in the other direction. "Hey, let's take a walk! We have to work off some of that meal." He winked at Yuri. And tried to take Yuri's hand.

Yuri pulled his hand away, but he nodded. They headed to a walkway that followed the river, leading closer to the town center. Yuri's head was still swimming, though, with guilt from stealing from Maeyama-san, and he couldn't think of anything to say.

"This part of Hasetsu reminds me of St. Petersburg," Victor said casually.

Yuri started, and looked at Victor. He was looking wistfully at the river, and his profile was so handsome, Yuri thought he couldn't breathe. "Eh? Really?"

"There's lots of bridges near my home, too," Victor winked at Yuri.

Blinking in wonder, Yuri just stared at Victor. Finally, his brain processed what Victor was saying enough to reply. "Are you homesick?" He really... didn't want Victor to leave, but he was well aware of the selfishness of that desire.

"Mm," Victor looked off at the river, and the way the lights were playing on the water. "Yes and no?" he laughed. "I'm usually never at home for long periods of time, anyway. When I _am_ at home, I hardly ever think about my surroundings. It's only when I'm somewhere else and I'm reminded of home that I... start to think, _Ah, so. That's right. That's like home._ Does that make sense? I think it's probably the same for most sorcerers working festivals, right?"

Yuri smiled despite himself. "Well, I doubt anyone else is in as much demand as you are. I certainly wouldn't know about that. Though. Mm. Obviously... even someone like me... ...It had been five years since I'd been home. Even though I was living in Detroit all that time, I never really thought of it as _home_." But, for Yuri, it might be more complicated than it was for Victor. He wasn't sure he felt _at home_ even now. There was only one place he felt _at home_.

On the ice.

Victor tucked a strand of hair behind Yuri's ear. "Hasetsu is really great, though! Everywhere we go, everyone seems to know you. Small towns are the best! And soaking in a hot spring every night is fantastic for my back and my skin!"

Yuri smiled affectionately at Victor. "Ah, yes, your skin really needed the help. ...Wait, your back, too? Is your back all right?" he asked, concerned.

Victor seemed pleased by his concern. "I _am_ twenty-seven. Ours is a difficult discipline." He shrugged, like that was enough of an answer.

"Is that... why you're undecided about whether or not to skate next season?" Yuri asked sheepishly. He really... didn't have the right to ask, did he? He was overstepping his bounds.

"Well... I can't say it's not a factor, but it's not really the deciding factor. But, all things considered... there's no point in my putting in all the effort in training and competition if I don't have a spell that can really add something fresh and new to the world."

Yuri looked at Victor, studying his expression. Victor was looking toward the river, so Yuri felt like he just could... indulge himself in watching. And.

Victor had always been the sorcerer Yuri admired the most, the one Yuri most wanted to be like. Yuri had failed pretty miserably in his attempts to be like Victor, so he'd never really felt like the gap between them was as close as it was now. It almost felt like he could reach Victor, who was also feeling uncertain. For wildly different reasons, he knew, and Yuri was being driven by the need to prove himself... 

What drove Victor?

"Are you lonely?"

Victor blinked, and looked at Yuri. Yuri realized what he'd said, and he flushed, looking away.

"Ah, I mean, I don't..."

"Do I seem lonely to you?" Victor asked.

"...Um. Maybe. I can't really say I understand you well enough to guess. But. I've always thought that you were... high above everyone else. And that seems... lonely..." Yuri drifted off, embarrassed. What was he saying to the man himself?! Victor would definitely be offended!

Victor looked at Yuri blankly for a moment, and then he threw his arms around Yuri and cuddled him closely. "Yuri! For my own soulmate to say that about me! But I'm happy, too! It shows you're really thinking about me!"

"Ahhhh Victor!" Yuri complained. He didn't really... want to push Victor away but... Victor was rubbing his cheek against Yuri's... they were so close. _So close_. Victor was squeezing him. He could feel Victor's body heat. And what had Victor called him!? When Yuri thought that he was only able to get this close to Victor because of that mistake...!

"Yuri," Victor purred into his ear. "Do you want to help me with my loneliness?"

Yuri started to panic. For real, his chest hurt and his head hurt and he couldn't focus. He needed to get away, but the only way he could do that would be to shove Victor away, and he couldn't very well do that, could he? But. But. But. 

Suddenly, Victor pulled away. "Ah, Minako's shop is that way, right? Yuri, let's have some drinks together!" Victor took Yuri's hand and led him off toward Minako-sensei's shop. 

Yuri's throat was so tight, he couldn't speak, and he tried to get his hand away from Victor, but Victor wasn't letting go. 

They got inside the shop, and then they had little choice but to stay close together. The place was packed.

"Looks like the bar is full. Ah, there's a table here, though," Victor led them to the table.

Sitting down, Yuri was finally able to free his hand. This was bad. He didn't really want to be here. He didn't like Minako-sensei's shop to begin with. She was too different here. He never liked bars that much. Too much smoke, the smell of alcohol was too strong, and people were too loud. He didn't like being around loud drunks. Thankfully, Victor was basically a cute drunk, but. And.

Yuri didn't know how to behave in a bar, anyway. It felt like he'd missed some class on socialization that everyone else on the planet knew about without being taught. It was uncomfortable. And most of all.

He didn't want to get drunk. He didn't want to lose control. He could imagine what might happen if his inhibitions slipped, and no good could come of it.

"What kind of drinks do you like?" Victor asked him.

"Um, I don't... I mean, I need to think of my diet..." Yuri hedged.

Victor looked vexed, but he didn't get a chance to reply.

A girl plopped down in the seat next to Yuri. "Yuri-kun! It's Yuri-kun, right? Welcome home! Do you remember me?" She pointed to her face, smiling brightly.

Her lipstick was bright and thick and her mascara was heavy and she had a lot of eyeliner on and she was wearing an off-the-shoulders top and Yuri was pretty sure she had pulled it down as low as she could. He very much did not want to be near her, and he couldn't for the life of him think that he'd ever met her before. "Um, s-sorry..."

She laughed. Her friends sat down at the table, too. One of her friends was openly gawking at Victor, who politely smiled at her. That made Yuri's stomach churn. "Well, I didn't think you would. I was a year behind you in school, so it's not like we ever interacted. I'm Mami-chan." She was touching him. She had her hand on his shoulder. "Hey, hey, Yuri-kun... we heard a weird rumor the other day. Someone was saying that you have a soulmate? Is that true?"

His eyes widened. What?! People were talking about that?! But... how? He didn't think the Nishigori's or his family would talk about it...!

"Actually..." Victor started.

"Where would you hear something like that?" Yuri demanded.

"Oh, people have been talking about it. Where did we hear it, Nao-chan?"

"Mm, my uncle said his coworker was talking about it with his grandfather?" Nao-chan shrugged, and then went back to gawking at Victor.

"So, everyone is talking about it!" Mami-chan smiled garishly. "Is it really true? I wouldn't ask, you know," she batted her eyelashes at him. She was exactly the sort of girl that Yuri was the worst with. "It's just... my older brother has always had this huuuuuuge crush on you. It's going to break his heart if it's true," she told him, pretending that she was confiding in a close friend, instead of someone she just met at a bar. "Can I see your hands?" She started to make as if she was just going to pick up his hands and examine them. 

"That's too bad for your _brother_..." Victor started.

Yuri jumped to his feet, pushing Mami-chan away as he did. "I-I'll go get drinks!" 

He threaded through the crowd, going to the side of the bar to get Minako-sensei's attention. He needed...

He needed a safe haven.

"Yuri!" Minako-sensei made her way to him after giving a man at the bar his drink. She beamed at him, and he felt marginally more relaxed. "I saw you come in, but it's busy tonight. So. How is your date going?" she grinned and winked at him.

"This is _not_ a date," Yuri told her flatly.

"Yes, it is!" Victor sunnily contradicted Yuri. He put his arm around Yuri's shoulders. "And, I'd say it's going _very_ well. We went to that French place you took Yuri to a lot. The owner took very good care of us, and wouldn't let us pay!"

"Oh, Maeyama-san is the best, isn't he? Sounds nice! Well, I guess I can't be outdone. You can have one drink on me," she winked at them. "What'll it be?"

"Ooh, sounds good! Let's have a cocktail, mm?" Victor brushed his nose against Yuri's ear.

There wasn't enough air in this place.

"J-just a club soda for me," Yuri said firmly. He didn't want to be here anymore. He didn't want any of this. Victor would have gone back to St. Petersburg long ago if it hadn't been for this stupid mistake... and Yuri was stealing from his friends and it was hot in here and it smelled bad and...

Minako-sensei was looking at him strangely, and Yuri felt naked and guilty, like she could see into him and he was forcing her to see something disgusting. "If you want, you can go into the office. It's really... too crowded out here, huh?"

"That's a good idea! I think those strange girls won't leave us alone, anyway," Victor sighed.

"Girls?" Minako-sensei asked.

"Hm, they sat at our table," Victor explained, his tone depreciatory. "She wanted to see our mark. She _claimed_ it was her older brother who had a crush on Yuri, but I doubt she was that concerned about anyone else. She put her hands on my soulmate right in front of me!" he pouted.

He wrapped his arms around Yuri and cuddled him.

There was no air at all.

"How rude," Minako-sensei smirked, winking at Victor. "If only she knew the wrath she was tempting...!"

"I know, right?" Victor grinned.

No, Yuri couldn't do this. He pushed Victor away, feeling horrible about it, but he had to, he had to. 

He was trapped.

"I'm going home," he managed to squawk out before he bolted out of there. 

Once he was out on the street, and he felt one tiny portion better, at least he could breathe. But he needed _space_ , he had to get _away_. He took off for home, running at full speed. His shoes weren't made for running and he was making his nice clothes sweaty. He was going to get a blister, and he'd have to see a healer so he could keep training. He had to get home, though. He ignored everything but that.

He went in the back entrance, and slipped up to his room. He immediately tossed off his clothes. He started to put on some workout clothes. No, this was a bad impulse. He was mature enough to recognize this. He was giving in to his self-destructive tendencies. He was supposed to fight them. He wasn't supposed to give in to his demons. He was a sorcerer who combatted demons for the sake of the world, and yet he was going to be a slave to his own? He went into his bag and got out the key to the Ice House.

This wasn't why Nakamura-san gave him this. In fact, this was the exact opposite of what he was supposed to be doing with the key.

He went to the kitchen before he left, and he got the largest bottle of water they had in the refrigerator. 

He needed to skate.

☽☾

Yuri sat in his chair and tried to stretch out his shoulders. Ever since their... night out, things had been tense with Victor. Yuri had tried to just throw himself into training, but his jumps had been just terrible for days. Yuri was just so tired and bruised.

Everything was so much effort... but...

If he could at least manage to keep his feet under him, the spell was coming along, he thought. Victor was saying they should perform in front of an audience to be sure... 

Yuri was _so_ tired. Maybe he should take the morning off. It had been a while since he'd really slept in. And... he had... spent a few nights at the rink... 

He was just getting into bed when he heard the scratching at his door, and the whining. His heart went cold. Would... would Victor use Makkachin to try to get to him? No, probably not, so... 

Yuri went to his door. He opened it a crack. On the other side, sure enough, Makkachin was trying to get in. Once the door was open even a little, he stood on his back paws and put his front paws on the door, and whimpered at Yuri.

"What is it, Makkachin? What do you want?"

Makkachin moved down, pressing his head against the door. He whimpered and whined. He definitely wanted in.

Yuri looked over at Victor's room. The door was open, but there were no lights on. Yurio had gone to bed a while ago, right? Was Victor still drinking?

"No, no, Makkachin, your master isn't here..." Yuri started. "How will Victor feel if you abandon him?"

Makkachin panted happily at him, and moved to get into his room.

Yuri sighed, but there was no point in making the dog unhappy. Plus, he might wake up Yurio at this rate. He opened his door enough for Makkachin to get in, and the dog happily trotted in and then jumped up onto Yuri's bed.

Shaking his head, Yuri sat down on the bed. He put his hand on Makkachin's head, and Makkachin turned his head to make it easier for Yuri to pet him. "You are so spoiled. Well, how could you not be? ...Vicchan was spoiled, too." Yuri smiled sadly at Makkachin. He dug his fingers into Makkachin's curly fur. "Vicchan was smaller than you, but he was just as good-tempered. And sweet. Did you come here because Victor is busy drinking, and you didn't want to sleep alone?" 

Makkachin just looked up at him, panting happily.

Yuri sighed, and he switched the light off. He got into bed, and Makkachin cuddled right up to him. Yuri brushed his face against Makkachin's fur. "Vicchan smelled differently, too. Well, of course he did. But he was like you.

"He always knew when I needed him, too."

He put his arm around Makkachin, and he closed his eyes. He tried not to think, but that was hard to do. Makkachin started to lick his face, and Yuri wondered if he was crying.

"Makkachin. How can I stop being such a huge disappointment to everyone?" he whispered. 

Makkachin whimpered, and bumped Yuri's chin with his head. Yuri grinned, and kissed Makkachin.

"Ok. Thanks."

He drifted off to sleep, buoyed by the heat of Makkachin's body as well as the steady rhythm of his breathing and his heartbeat.

When his door slammed open, Yuri bolted upright. He had no idea where or who he was. 

"Traitor!"

Yuri blinked, and he recognized Victor before he recognized anything else. And then he saw Victor reach over to grab for Makkachin.

"Eh, Victor, be careful..." Yuri started, but Makkachin barked and scooted around Yuri's back.

Victor lunged forward, and Makkachin barked, thinking they were playing a game. Yuri kept his body between Victor and Makkachin, afraid that maybe Victor was drunk and he'd do something he'd regret. He wouldn't actually hurt Makkachin, though, would he? 

"Why are you angry at your dog?" Yuri pled with Victor, trying to get him to be reasonable.

"Why are you willing to sleep with Makkachin and not me?" Victor demanded.

"What are you talking about?" Yuri shrank back. "He's a _dog_ ," Yuri explained, wondering why he had to.

"He's _my_ dog, and if you want to sleep with him, you have to sleep with me!" Victor burst out.

" _What?_ " Yuri couldn't even begin to understand what was going on. Victor picked Makkachin up and stomped out, slamming Yuri's door. 

Yuri didn't have to wonder this time. Hot tears spilled down his cheeks. 

Victor hated him.

☽☾

"I'm not going to tell you that the dog has to stay outside," Nishigori pleasantly told Victor as he brought him a cup of coffee. "But if he makes a mess, you have to clean it up."

Victor already knew that. And he didn't want coffee. He took a deep breath. He was supposed to be watching Yurio go through his spell. He was being unfair to the kid, and that was unforgivable. And yet. "Where is Yuri?" he asked, keeping his voice even because he was very good at only showing people what he wanted them to see.

Almost all of the time.

"Ah... well. He was here when we got in... and then he... said he was going to Minako's..." Nishigori hedged.

Victor narrowed his eyes. He inhaled deeply through his nose. Of course.

First, there had been their date, which had been _perfect_... right until it was not. By the time Victor had gotten back home, Yuri was nowhere to be found. It was late, and Victor hadn't wanted to worry Yuri's parents, but he felt strongly that he needed to have some way of tracking Yuri. Maybe there was a way to do that with their phones? He should ask Nishigori, but he needed to phrase it in such a way as to not make it sound like he wanted to stalk his soulmate. Then, there had been the... incident with Makkachin. Victor honestly had no idea why he'd lost his cool that night, except. Yuri had been keeping his distance for days. When Victor got back that night, he'd initially been worried that Makkachin had gotten out. He went to see if Yuri knew where his beloved dog was, and when Victor saw Yuri and Makkachin all cuddled up together...

He hadn't known he was capable of feeling such jealousy. And it was such _stupid_ jealousy. And then he'd frightened Yuri. And.

Yuri had kept himself out of Victor's sight since then.

He straightened up, and called out to Yurio, "Ok, Yurio! That's enough for now!"

"Eh?" he stopped and turned to glare at Victor. "I haven't even finished a run through!"

"I know," Victor smiled. "Just take a break. Stretch out, hydrate... ponder agape."

From the litany of profanity that spewed out of the little brat, Victor assumed he still needed to work on that last bit the most.

He cleared his throat. "So... you've known Yuri for a long time." He looked at his right palm. He loved their mark. In his completely unbiased and totally objective opinion, theirs was the most beautiful mark in all the world. Every time he looked at it, he felt like he wasn't alone, and he never would be again.

Except, he was.

Makkachin rubbed against his legs, and Victor looked up at Nishigori. He was _loathe_ to ask for the man's help. He had the sneaking suspicion that Nishigori's willingness to help Yuri train was at least 50% fueled by his desire to put his hands on Victor's soulmate. But.

"What do I need to do to get Yuri to fall in love with me?"

Nishigori blinked. "No... I don't think... I mean, that's not..."

"You don't think he'll ever fall for me?" Victor raised an eyebrow.

"Er, no, it's the opposite, I mean..." Nishigori looked around, maybe hoping his wife would show up. "I mean, I think he's... already... you know..."

"But he won't talk to me. He still keeps his hand wrapped up all the time. We were making progress... and then, everything started to go wrong," Victor scowled. He hated admitting this.

He needed advice.

"Ah..." Nishigori looked up at the sky. "You know... I know you hate hearing it, but Yuri needs... a _lot_ of time and space. I just. I think you need to back off if you want to make progress, even if that doesn't make sense."

"Back off?" Victor scoffed. He crossed his arms over his chest. "I've given him space, I've given him time. Wait, how well do you really know Yuri, anyway?"

"What?" Nishigori looked at Victor strangely.

"He hasn't lived here in five years, right? When he was last here, he was still a teenager. And now he's a grown man," Victor's wheels were spinning, finally.

"Er, that's true, but..." Nishigori hedged.

"You don't really know Yuri at all anymore, do you?" Victor accused, and from the look on the other man's face, he had hit his mark.

Of course! He'd been listening to all this advice, and it was _bad advice_. Now Victor knew what to do!

He had to follow his dog's lead!

He slapped Nishigori on the arm and beamed. "Tell Yurio he's on self-training for today. I've got something to do!" 

"Wait...!" Nishigori said, but it was too late.

Victor wasn't going to wait around anymore.

☽☾

The last few days had been hellish. Yuri couldn't bear knowing that Victor was mad at him, so he'd done his best to stay completely out of the way of the other man, but since they were living in rooms right next to each other, that wasn't easy. Victor was a morning person, too. Yuri had to sneak out of his room before dawn, go skate, spend the day out training, and slip back in late at night. He'd had dinner with the Nishigori's yesterday, and managed to keep chatting with the triplets so he didn't have to answer any questions from their parents.

He couldn't keep it up forever, though.

He came home just after ten. He saw his parents, and assured his mom that he'd eaten already. He'd been thinking about who he could get advice from, and considered opening up to his parents, but. He didn't want to worry them. He thought about talking to Minako-sensei or the Nishigori's. The Nishigori's were his best bet, but he felt ashamed. Then, he cast his mind around to someone he knew well who might not be so close to the situation. Phichit-kun or Coach Celestino... but...

He was pretty sure he couldn't bring himself to try to explain out loud this strange mistake that had happened.

That left him with one thought. On the plus side, that person knew Victor better than he did. On the minus side, though, Yurio was a foul-mouthed brat who resented him.

If he could just have some way to gauge how angry Victor was with him... and... maybe find out just what he'd done to _make_ Victor so mad... Yuri could think of a few things, but he still couldn't figure out why sleeping with Makkachin had been the last straw.

He stepped very quietly past Victor's room. The light was out, so either Victor was out or he was sleeping. Yuri even held his breath until he got to his own door.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow, he would have to confront this situation.

He opened his door and his jaw dropped.

"Welcome home, Yuri!" Victor cheerfully greeted him. He was wearing the onsen's robes, and he was arranging photos on Yuri's desk. Victor's photos on Yuri's desk. And. Victor's matryoshka dolls were crowded onto the same little table with Yuri's piggie. And.

"Victor. What are you..." Yuri wanted badly to believe there was going to be a rational explanation for this. A perfectly normal, easy-to-understand, not scary explanation for this.

"I'm moving in!"

That was not it.

"No, you're not," Yuri shook his head.

"Yes, I am! I've thought about it and I realize that this whole situation is so difficult for you because it's so new! And the only way, then, for you to get used to it is just to be immersed. Twenty-four-seven immersion in each other's company!" Victor looked awfully proud of himself with his hands on his hips.

"...No," Yuri replied shakily.

" _Yes_ ," Victor contradicted firmly. "You're still in denial about being soulmates," Victor held up his right palm. "That's not healthy! This is an important time for us! We need to do everything we can to strengthen our bond. You're still wrapping up your hand." Yuri shoved his left hand behind his back. "And hiding it from me. What are you so afraid of? I think we're getting along pretty well, right?"

"You got mad at me for sleeping with your dog," Yuri pointed out.

Victor's expression became very serious. He came closer to Yuri and took his hands. "That was a highly unfortunate incident. I apologize most profusely for the unpleasant face I showed. I wasn't angry with you. I got angry with Makkachin, but that anger was misplaced. I was truly angry with myself for being unable to bridge this gap between us for so long. Also, I was drunk. But all that's changing now! Let's properly start the rest of our lives together here and now!" Victor's smile broke out wildly.

Yuri's backpack slid down. He edged backwards, but Victor was holding onto his hands tightly. "No, but... you said we'd... focus on the spell. And. This isn't going to work anyway." Yuri searched around trying to avoid looking Victor in the eye. "I mean, the bed is too small, for starters." That was the smallest reason this was impossible, but it was a good one, so he started there.

"It'll be fine if we snuggle together!" Victor assured him confidently. "Or, we could let Makkachin have the bed, and we could put a futon on the floor. It'll be like sleepaway camp, right?"

"No, that's not... we can't..." Yuri shook his head. "This is... this is my room, and there's really not enough room. You have your own room, and it's really close! I... I'll forget about that whole thing with Makkachin. Let's just go back to how it was before that," he suggested desperately. And maybe... before that... dinner out. But, Yuri didn't say that because he didn't know how Victor would react.

"I've considered that, but it doesn't address the main problem. I'd suggest using my room, but you'd just hide from me in here. This way you won't be able to hide anymore!" Victor sunnily declared.

Yuri's eyes widened.

Victor put his arm around Yuri's shoulders. "Now, now, don't fret. I'm not a monster or anything, I don't plan on forcing you to _do_ anything, of course. But, since we're soulmates, we should be best friends, too, right? That's only natural! So, to get closer and closer, we'll start with the physical proximity, and then we'll work our way up from there! It's a really good idea, right?"

"No..." Yuri's backpack slipped down and hit the floor with the thud. "I mean... this isn't... this isn't _natural_ at all, it's just." He bit his lip. What was Victor even thinking?! Did he honestly expect Yuri to be fine with this??

Yuri felt pressure on his temples.

Victor turned them to face each other, and he put his forehead on Yuri's, bumping Yuri's glasses. "Hey, Yuri. Do you dislike me?"

"O-of course not!" Yuri tried to back off, but Victor wasn't letting him go.

"Then, you'd say you like me?" Victor asked hopefully.

"Um, that is, well..." Yuri tried desperately to pull away. Look away. Get away.

"It's all right to admit it! I like you, see, it's easy to say! Obviously, I know there's still a lot I need to learn about you, but I'm interested in learning it. Doesn't that mean something to you? Why don't you show me your mark? I've wanted to see it all this time," Victor prodded him.

"N-no, that's not... there's no need... it's just a mist--" Yuri started.

"Hey, Yuri," Victor pressed his forehead against Yuri's, and his voice was low and serious. "I want to give you all the time you need to become comfortable with this, but I wonder if you realize how hurtful it is to me when you refer to our soulmarks as _mistakes_."

Yuri whimpered, edging away as best he could. His chest hurt. He could feel the color draining away from his vision. Victor was angry with him again. Victor was hurt by him. 

Victor was going to hate him.

"I... I... I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I can't do this. Please. Please, understand. I can't do this. You need to go back to your own room. And. And. We'll... we'll talk in the morning. Please," Yuri begged. He couldn't look at Victor. Was it getting warm in the room?

"We can talk in the morning, but I'm sleeping here, with you, tonight. Once you get used to it, it won't feel so strange! The best way to conquer something you're afraid of is to attack it head on! Isn't that how you learned how to jump, too? Everyone falls about a thousand times before they learn how to land beautifully. This will be just like that! Let's just dive in, and no matter how often we hit the ice, we'll have faith that we'll eventually learn to fly!" Victor was bursting with confidence.

Yuri hurt. 

He shook his head, and he terrifyingly became aware that he was on the verge of tears. "I won't," he managed to choke out. 

And then he took off.

"Yuri? Yuri!" Victor called out after him, but Yuri wasn't about to slow down for anything.

He got outside, and the cool air burnt his lungs, he wasn't even sure he closed the door behind him, but he just ran, ran, ran. He wasn't even sure where he was going, but it didn't matter. He could only see right in front of him, and his chest still felt tight, and his head was pounding. Victor was going to hate him and it was because Yuri hurt him and nothing would ever work out as a result. So, he had to run. He had to get away. He couldn't stay here.

He couldn't breathe here.

He paused when his legs felt like they were going to melt, and he looked around. He was outside Minako-sensei's studio, and the light was on. Great! He went up there, and the door was even unlocked, so he let himself in. His throat felt tight, so he didn't announce himself.

Minako-sensei... would help him, right?

He went inside, and he found Minako-sensei in her office, sitting on the floor while she put something in a box. She was surrounded by random papers. He stepped closer, and she noticed him, starting.

"Yuri! You scared me! You're supposed to call out when you come in!" she chastised him.

"S-sorry. What are you...?" he asked quietly.

"Oh..." she looked inside her box. "A former dance partner of mine is arranging a dance troupe for a festival in Spain, and he asked to borrow my tiara." She lifted it out. It was a beautiful thing, with delicate metal filigree holding dozens and dozens of sparkling rhinestones. "It was made for me by a friend years ago when I was dancing Aurora in Sleeping Beauty." She smiled from the memory, and it helped Yuri to relax, seeing Minako-sensei happy. "It's really beautiful, isn't it?"

Yuri was able to smile at her. "Yeah, it is."

"I'm really nervous about mailing it," Minako-sensei sighed. "The box he gave it to me in disintegrated years ago. I've been keeping it on a mannequin head under glass to display it. I really don't want anything to happen to it..."

Yuri blinked. "Oh, I can help. I'll deliver it for you."

Minako-sensei looked at him like he'd just sprouted a second head. "What? You can't _deliver_ it. It's going to _Spain_ , I just told you."

"That's fine," Yuri reached down and picked up the box. "I'll take a plane." Of course, that was the only logical choice.

"Eh?" Minako-sensei jumped to her feet. "What are you going on about? You can't just... what happened? Yuri? Talk to me!" she put her hand on his arm.

He looked at her, and after a moment, he smiled serenely. "I was thinking that I had to get away. This is perfect. I'll deliver your tiara, and then you won't have to worry about it getting damaged. I'll take good care of it."

"Yuri, this is crazy. Tell me what happened. You don't have to do anything drastic," she tried to reason with him.

He looked over the box. She'd already written an address on it. Perfect. He carefully closed the lid and folded the flaps together to keep them closed without damaging the tiara. "I want to be helpful." He wanted to get something right. He wanted to do something that would positively impact someone he cared about.

He wanted to stop disappointing people.

"I appreciate that, but this is asking too much of you, and anyway... aren't you working on your spell with Victor?" Yuri winced, and Minako-sensei stepped closer to him, touching his arm. "Let's stop and take a moment to talk, and think about this. I'm sure we can work it out, if we put our heads together."

"Ah, but there's no time," Yuri looked at the clock. Minako-sensei was staring at him blankly, so he explained. "The last train going to Meinohama will be leaving shortly, won't it? I have to go."

"Go? Go? You mean right now? You're leaving right now?" Minako-sensei gawked at him.

Yuri nodded absently. "The sooner the better." He turned to go.

"Yuri, you're not thinking. Whatever happened, I'm _sure_ it'll blow over. Victor is pretty easygoing after all, right? Look, you don't even have any luggage!" she tried to reason with him as she trailed after him.

"I'm just going to deliver this. I can buy whatever I need on the way." He got his shoes on and headed out.

"Wait wait wait," she chased after him, grabbing her jacket and her keys, and then locking up. She caught up to him on the street. "Wait! What are you thinking, you... you... you always fly with that little neck pillow, right?"

"I can always get one at the airport," he said calmly.

"Yuri, stop!" she grabbed onto his arm and dug her heels in, bringing him to a stop. "Just... just _talk_ to me. What happened?"

"I have to go _somewhere_ ," he said, and some of his desperation was seeping into his voice. "I have to get away. So. This works out."

"Nothing about this works out!" she pled with him.

He turned and continued on to the train station.

"I have to go," he said firmly.

This was perfect.

☽☾


	5. Fourth Spell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry this has taken so long to get out. on the plus side, the next part is all written and should be posted tomorrow/the next day. (something you'll appreciate even more at the end of this one... *coughs*)

☽☾

Fourth Spell

☽☾

Victor was, admittedly, worried.

He slept in Yuri's bed last night with Makkachin. However, Yuri hadn't come home. That alone wasn't too concerning. But, Yuri had left behind his backpack. Victor had taken just a _peek_ inside, _just_ to verify.

The key to the Ice House and Yuri's phone were both in his backpack. So.

He had to be with Minako or the Nishigori's, right? Right. And he would see Yuri at the Ice House for practice. Of course. Except.

Yuri would have to come home to change clothes, wouldn't he? Or... at least collect his backpack. He'd left his phone behind, after all. No one ever felt comfortable without their phone anymore. It just made sense. Which meant that Yuri would probably want to eat breakfast at home, wouldn't he. He was always concerned that he was worrying his parents, and the one thing that his parents fussed over the most was whether or not Yuri was eating. 

Or, if he wasn't going to eat at home, he'd probably contact his mother. He'd get Minako or Yuko to let him borrow their phone. 

And yet.

Yuri's mother had already once commented on how _that boy_ was lazing in bed again. So, she didn't know that Yuri wasn't home. And Yuri hadn't _come_ home to get his things.

However, Victor wasn't going to let worry get to him. Last night had not gone as he'd hoped, but today was a new day. He'd have another chance with Yuri! 

"Oy. When are we leaving for practice?" Yurio grunted at Victor.

Yuri's mother knelt down at their table. "Is that boy still asleep? Vicchan, maybe you should go wake him up. He'll miss breakfast at this rate!"

Victor's eyes widened.

"Yeah, _Vicchan_. Go get your soulmate so we can get going already," Yurio huffed.

"Ah..." Victor cleared his throat. "Well, it's not bad every so often to take some time off..." he hesitated.

"Hiroko."

Minako came into the dining area looking worn out. She fell to her knees in front of Yuri's mother, and put her hands down on the tatami in front of her, pressing her forehead down. 

"Hiroko, I'm so sorry. I know... I know he only just got home... I tried... I really tried..." she blubbered.

"Minako-senpai, I can't understand you. ...Has something happened to Yuri?"

Minako looked up at Yuri's mother fearfully. "He came to me last night, and he was... he was upset..."

Victor straightened up. He could _feel_ how hard Minako was trying to not look at him, even from the corner of her eye. 

"And... and.. somehow... it ended up... I can't even explain this, he just up and decided to go to _Spain_."

"What?" Yuri's mother asked with eerie and confused calm.

Victor couldn't breathe.

"I was going to mail a package to Spain, and I was worried about its safety, and Yuri just... just... picked it up and said he'd _deliver_ it! I didn't ask him to do it! He said he had to... had to..." she was _not_ looking at Victor with such vengeful force that he felt like he'd been punched in the gut. "He said he wanted to get away anyway. I tried to stop him! T-to reason with him! I went with him to the airport, and the first plane out wasn't leaving until six thirty anyway, and I stayed with him until the plane took off! He opened up to me a _little_ ," this time she did give Victor a sidelong look. His eyes widened. "But he just. Wouldn't listen to me at all."

"Spain..." Yuri's mother's considered that. "But... he didn't pack anything... did he?"

Minako's bottom lip quivered. "He... he... he didn't have anything with him except my package."

Yuri's mother looked at Minako with her head tilted to the side, like she was trying to understand this from another point of view. "He could have at least called, or sent a text!"

Minako shrank back. "...I'm so sorry, Hiroko, he didn't even have his phone or wallet with him."

"Well, how could he fly, then? He couldn't even buy a ticket!" Yuri's mom pouted.

Victor felt his heart drop into his stomach.

"Yuri has his biometrics linked to his bank account, Hiroko. It's pretty common for people who travel and such..." Minako quietly reminded her. "He even has his passport registered, so all he had to do was..." Minako pantomimed putting a hand on a scanner, and then widened her eye for an imaginary retina scan.

Yuri's mom stared at Minako, and then it finally sunk in. "He's gone to _Spain?_ And I can't even contact him?"

"I'm so sorry, Hiroko, I wanted to... I wanted to let you know somehow, but I was just... I was trying to talk to him... Ah! But he's going to see a friend of mine, and I contacted him to let him know that Yuri was on his way, and he promised me up and down he'd let me know the _very second_ Yuri was in his sights! And... then I'm sure he'll... come right home..." Minako was _not looking_ at Victor forcefully enough to make Victor wince.

"Holy fuck, Victor, what'd you do to the guy?" Yurio wondered.

Victor opened his mouth, but no sounds came out. No, he couldn't... _precisely_ say that he hadn't done anything, could he? Possibly, he made a terrible mistake. No, it was more than possible. But. 

Still, wasn't going to _Spain_ a bit much??

Taking a deep breath, Victor put his hands on the table and leaned forward. "Don't worry, mama, I'll go and get Yuri right away. Minako, tell me where this friend of yours is, I'll leave right away."

"I really don't think that's a good idea, I mean," Minako shook her head.

"I don't mind at all! I'll get him back as soon as--" Victor started.

" _Vicchan_ ," Yuri's mother cut him off sharply. "Don't you think you've already done enough?"

Minako and Yurio stared at Yuri's mother while Victor felt his body lose all its verve. 

Yuri's mother sighed heavily. She tipped her head down and rubbed her forehead. "Oh, Yuri... When that boy comes home, I'm going to give him such a talking to!" she held her fist up over her chest in a gesture so lacking in even the slightest semblance of a threat that it was actually endearing. "Ah..." her shoulders slumped. She turned and smiled at Victor.

The fact that she seemed to want to comfort him made Victor feel... small?

"You have to understand... Toshiya and I did our best, but we... never really understood our own child. We weren't surprised the day he came home and told us he made colors while skating. He was always different. There was always something... driving him that we didn't understand. We grew up here, we've lived our lives here. We didn't know anything about sorcerers. Well, Ten Thousand Color sorcerers. Finding out our own son was one..." she shook her head sadly. "We did our best, we thought. But we made mistakes along the way. We knew it.

"Never the less, we never went wrong in having faith in Yuri. He's never had an easy path through anything in life, and there have been times when he's made things harder for himself than they needed to be. But, he's stronger than he'll ever give himself credit for being, and he's never failed to be someone I'm very proud of. I won't tell you to be patient with him, but never lose faith in him. Whatever faith you put in him will be rewarded." She smiled at him so kindly, Victor saw her son in that smile.

His chest hurt. "Ma--K-Katsuki-san... I'm so sorry, I..." Victor struggled to find words.

She chuckled, and leaned over to pat his hair. "Save your apologies for Yuri when he gets home! Oh, but you'll have to wait, because the very first thing is I need to scold him! Running off without even a single word to his mother! I'm going to practice being firm! Toshiya will help me work it out!" She pumped her fists in front of her. She was fired up. "Minako-senpai..." she looked at Minako kindly. "Make sure to keep us updated with every last thing you hear from your friend in Spain."

"I-I will, Hiroko! I promise!" Minako nodded.

Yuri's mom nodded, and then got up, but some of the bounce was gone from her step.

Victor felt awful, and he _hated_ it.

Minako shuddered as she watched Hiroko go. She looked at Victor, and then her expression changed. Victor couldn't quite interpret it, but maybe she was feeling sympathy for him?

Sympathy? He needed that?

She got up and left, and then he was left alone with Yurio.

Who was watching him through narrowed eyes. 

Finally, Yurio sighed, and got up. "I'm going to the rink. You can take the day off if you want."

Victor's heart sunk even further, right down to his bowels. Even a teenager was pitying him now. A mature teenager, sure, but also a prickly and defiant teenager. Victor pulled Makkachin up to cuddle him. His dog whinnied cutely, and then he licked Victor's chin. 

He could accept Makkachin's sympathy. And.

He needed to think.

☽☾

He caused a scene when he entered Minako's studio because there was a class in session made up entirely of young girls, probably middle school aged. He smiled and nodded to them in a manner he'd practically patented years and years ago, a familiar defense mechanism. Minako pointed him toward her office, so he slipped inside. He wondered what sort of rumors would be flying around town. If people thought that he and Minako were having an affair, that would be fine with him.

He preferred it when people were talking about his fictional relationships rather than the real ones.

Minako's office was messy, which amused Victor simply because it seemed like it would annoy her if he told her that. Her walls were covered with posters from the ballets she had been in and pictures of her with her troupes. Victor was surprised that he actually recognized some of the people Minako knew. She'd clearly danced in Russia for a while. There was a photo in particular that he was interested in, because she was with a man and they were posed as if they were mid-tango. He knew that man. Victor had a choreographer when he was in Juniors who hired him to help Victor with some of the moves for the step sequence. Unlike many skaters, Victor had never thoroughly had any training in classical dance. He took classes, of course, but he was more interested in modern dance than ballet or the like. Yakov made him continue his lessons, but he'd hated them too much to be consider himself really _trained_. The man who danced with Minako had taught Victor a lot of ballroom-style dances, and he'd been a good influence on Victor, but...

Victor had been arrogant at that point in his career, and even though he'd soaked up his lessons, he'd still preferred to be on the ice than in a dance class. Thinking back, Victor couldn't even remember this man's name. He must have spent hours and hours a week with him for over two months, but he was drawing a complete blank. Why was that? Had he been too conceited back then to give the man his full attention? Or was it just that it was _that_ long ago?

He also was amazed at how Minako had aged. She didn't look much different than in this picture, and yet, Victor knew him about a decade ago, and he'd already stopped dancing professionally. Which meant...

But, of course. Minako had been Yuri's teacher since he was small. 

"If I'd heard anything new since last night, I would have told you. Well, I would have told Hiroko, but I'd have told you, too," Minako came into the room ready for him, it seemed. "Yuri is with my friend, but I don't know anything else yet."

"I know," he smiled at her, hoping it didn't look fake. "That's not why I'm here. I just thought... Yuri mentioned once how much time he spent here growing up, and even Mari once said that Yuri came here often when he was anxious. So I just..."

Her expression softened. "My next class doesn't start for about an hour. Let me show you something." She went over to her file cabinet, and she ran her fingers down the drawers until she found the one she wanted. She opened it up, and then flipped through the files. She spread open a file, and then pulled out a leaflet. She handed it to him, her expression triumphant. "That's from Yuri's first recital."

His eyes widened, and he looked it over. It was a simple sheet of paper, folded in half. There was a clip art-style image of a dancer on the front, with some verbiage all in Japanese that Victor couldn't read. Of course, inside it was the same, but he gathered there was a list of names.

"Do you want to see it?" she asked, her voice tantalizingly smug.

"I think you know I do," he grinned.

She ushered him to her desk, letting him sit. She opened up her computer, and clicked through some files to find what she was looking for. She had a file for Yuri, filled with videos, dozens of them. His eyes widened. She queued up the first one.

"He was... ah... I guess he was about six in this one? For most of his time with me, he was the only boy in class, so he's not hard to find," she informed him as the video began.

"How did he end up taking ballet so young?" Victor asked. On the screen, a line of small, roundish children started to file out. Yuri ended up in the middle, being the only boy. He was wearing blue tights and a simple white tunic. He had his arms up over his head and his hair was all fluffy and messy. He was adorable.

"Apparently, he'd seen me dancing at a festival in town, and he begged and begged his parents to let him take classes so he could dance like I did," she told him, her pride evident in her voice. "He was a great student, even if he did end up demanding a lot of attention."

The class did a spin together, and it was clear that all the girls were watching Yuri to know what to do. "When did you suspect that he was a sorcerer?"

"Oh, I could tell right away. I mean, _of course_ I couldn't _really_ know. But. It was a feeling, right from the start. It's hard to explain what the difference between a _spell_ and a _dance_ is, but. Sometimes, you just know... a student isn't just going through the motions. Their heart and mind and body and soul are all invested. I used tarot cards to try to find what element he was."

"That's pretty unscientific," Victor grinned. Of course, he'd been tested for elemental synchronicity by the state once he'd passed a physical potential test. Growing up in St. Petersburg, though, people were always on the lookout for new sorcerers. 

"Yeah, it suggested that he was associated with fire. That didn't seem to fit Yuri at all, so I just asked him. _Which do you feel closest to, earth, water, air, or fire?_ And he said water." She grinned at Victor. "Because he grew up in a hot spring. And then he said... _I don't feel comfortable unless I can sit in the water at the end of the day._ He was only... I think ten? Yeah. So, I suggested he learn how to skate."

The rest of the class stepped back, and Yuri went through his solo, which included a rather impressive jeté for such a small dancer. "Even so young, he had a great feel for the music."

"He's always loved music. He was taking piano lessons at this time, too. I was competing with his piano instructor for his after school time. It was proof, to me, that he was destined to be a sorcerer when he decided to quit the piano to focus on dancing and skating, because he really loved playing the piano, too," Minako clicked the video closed as the bows began, and opened up the next one.

"There are sorcerers who are musicians, too," Victor reminded her cheekily. In the next video, Yuri was similarly small and round, but this time, he was dancing with a partner, and it looked more like an ethnic dance.

"Of course, but there are no musicians who are Ten Thousand Color sorcerers. That requires a combination of the athletic and the artistic."

"You had that much faith in him?" Victor asked. The girl Yuri was dancing with stepped on his foot, but Yuri bore it with restraint.

"Hiroko was right. The faith I've put in Yuri is never wasted." She looked contemplative. "I'm not sure, though... that he knows we feel that way. I'm positive he wouldn't believe us if we told him." Her face was composed, and Victor knew that she was guarding against revealing her sorrow.

He watched the video intently. 

Yuri danced around his partner, and she nearly messed him up because instead of standing still, she turned to watch him. Victor grinned. "He was popular, wasn't he?"

"He would have been, if he'd been better at socializing. But he never talked to any of the girls in class. Even when he danced with them. I thought he was too shy, but maybe he was just too nervous? In any case, he only ever talked to me. None of the girls in class could get close to him, so they thought he was stuck up. Which..." she shook her head.

He nodded. He looked at the image of Yuri on the screen. He thought back to Yuri asking him if he was lonely... This boy had been lonely, hadn't he?

"I have to start getting ready for the next class. Feel free to watch all of them," she told him, ruffling his hair. It was such a big sisterly gesture that Victor was once again made aware of how much older than him she was, despite her appearance.

He did as she instructed, though. He went through every single video. He saw Yuri gradually grow better and more confident in his dance, until he was basically dancing alone since he was on a different level than the rest of his class. Several videos were from local festivals, too, where Yuri was dancing in larger groups with people of all ages. Even in those videos, Yuri stood out. In the last video, Yuri seemed to be about twelve or thirteen, which made sense since he was certified at thirteen. After that, he would have been focused on skating, and not participating in recitals and dance festivals. 

Once he was out of videos, Victor highlighted the name of the folder all of Yuri's videos were in, copying it. He then went to search Minako's computer for Yuri's name. He didn't want to look through her emails or spreadsheets, but he looked for anything else that might have something more. He found another folder that had the same characters as the folder he'd been in, plus some more characters. He opened it, and found more videos.

These were of Yuri's skating. There was a video of Yuri clearly being certified, and then two of him at festivals before he was properly competing, and then his first festivals as a junior sorcerer. Victor watched all of these, too. It wasn't until the later ones that Yuri started to create colors like Victor had seen him create, but even in the oldest ones, Victor could see how Yuri moved with the music, as if it were truly a part of him. He could also see the other things about Yuri that he recognized. How Yuri got glum after a mistake, how larger crowds made him nervous, how easily Yuri was affected by the other skaters. He also saw something else... when Yuri did well and he won, he had the most beautiful smile in all the world.

Victor paused on a medal ceremony that looked like it took place when Yuri was about sixteen or seventeen, and he just stared at that smile. 

He wanted to see it in person. He wanted to be the _cause_ of it.

"Did anyone ever tell you that it's rude to go snooping through someone else's computer?"

Victor suppressed his smirk, and looked up innocently at Minako, not bothering to pretend that he wasn't trying to fool her. "Whoops?"

She bopped him on his head. "I got a text. I just called Hiroko. ...Yuri's decided to stay in Spain for a little longer. He's going to help out and perform in my friend's dance festival." She showed him the text, but Victor didn't want to read it.

He turned back to look at Yuri's smile. "Ok. I hope he has fun."

His voice sounded hollow, but he meant it, and he knew she knew he meant it when she stroked his back.

☽☾

"I thought you weren't coming back tonight. You haven't been out drinking again, have you?" 

Victor looked over his shoulder to smile at Yurio. He'd only _just_ sat down on his bed, but the brat came out of his makeshift room. "Nice to see you, too, Yurio," he said benignly. He was rubbing Makkachin's face all the while. It was comforting.

"The way you're moping around, you're gonna have a beer belly when he gets back. That'll be it for you. Good looks are about all you have going for you, if you're not skating," the kid sighed, folding his arms over his chest.

His barbs would have more bite if he weren't wearing cheetah-patterned shorts and a t-shirt with a kitten on it. "As if I'd ever let myself go that far. Brat."

"Oy," Yurio stepped in to Victor's room. "I was talking with the old man who owns the rink and Yu-chan today about the exhibition show."

"Oh, right," Victor rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, Minako said her friend's dance festival was next week, so... probably Yuri will come home after that. We'll have to postpone..."

"No, we all agreed to go on with it, just me," Yurio informed him calmly. "The day after tomorrow, in the evening. Yu-chan said her family would put out posters. As long as there's a decent crowd, it should be good enough for me to have a run-through. You have to be there, too."

"Of course," Victor replied numbly, "but..."

"Then, I'm going back to Russia. I'll finish my preparation with Yakov. I talked to him today, so it's all decided." Yurio managed to look both defiant and sheepish. He was quite the talented brat.

Victor digested what he said. "I..."

"You have too much on your mind. You're no good to me. It's just not gonna work out." Yurio shrugged, and turned to go back to his room. He paused at the threshold. "Thanks, though... for the choreography. I hope your soulmate doesn't actually hate you."

"That's so nice of you," Victor rolled his eyes.

"Yakov said... that you need to make up your mind about this season. Well, he actually said... _Even if that guy thinks he's a gift from the gods bestowed to us mere mortals, he still needs practice if he's going to have a productive spell!_ He said... you should come back to Russia, too. And. Work out this thing with the piggie later." Yurio was watching Victor intently. It felt like there was a right and a wrong response, the way he was being watched.

"I'm not going anywhere until Yuri comes home," Victor told him quietly.

Yurio didn't respond. Victor stopped looking at him, and just focused on Makkachin's endless eyes.

"You should stop sleeping in his room, then. He's gonna be creeped out when he gets back." Yurio closed the door, and Victor sighed.

He knew that, too, but at least in Yuri's bed, he could pretend that they were close.

☽☾

"So this is where you're hiding!" Yuko peeked around the door in the control room.

"Who says I'm hiding? I'm in a room with a giant window to the rink," Victor pointed out, smiling.

She slipped into the room. "Oh, so you're... what? Working on the lighting for the exhibition?" 

"You want me to do that? Sure! Do I do that with these buttons? My, there's so many of them!" Victor made as if he was going to start pushing buttons or adjusting levels. Of course, he didn't touch anything. He had _no_ idea what any of these buttons or slides actually _did_. 

Yuko managed to swallow most of her snickers. She came to stand next to him. "Has Minako-sensei heard anything new?" she asked him, her voice neutral.

Victor took a moment so he could reply in an equally neutral voice. "Her friend sent a picture last night. Yuri was practicing with the troupe. He was smiling. ...Did you see it?" He pulled out his phone to show her.

"I'm so jealous! It's been ages since I've seen Yuri in a festival! I mean, you know, a local one, not... well, he wasn't really himself during the last couple of festivals he was in, so," she made the picture bigger so she could get a better look at Yuri's smile.

Victor noticed that his hand was still wrapped in tape.

"I wish he had taken his phone, at least," she sighed. She looked out at the rink. "Yurio is coming along well. Everyone is really pumped to watch him skate tonight!"

"Mm," Victor nodded. "I'm sure he'll put on quite a show. ...It's a pity that there's only going to be one skater, though. It would be better if... not that I can blame him." Yurio had to think about himself. No one ever forgot their senior debut season.

"You could always skate! Warm up the crowd for him! What do you think?" she slyly suggested, though Victor was sure she wasn't being serious.

Still. He rubbed between his eyebrows and down his nose. "I doubt I'd even rate on the Merlin scale. Everything in my head is just... such a jumble..." He closed his eyes. He'd never in his life had to feel such... _guilt_. Or, even if he was supposed to have before, he never _had_. This was a terrible way to feel.

Yuko stood next to him quietly for a few moments, just respecting his pride. 

She had a comfortable air. Victor could see how she has been an idol for Yuri.

"What's it like, living in St. Petersburg?"

He blinked, and then he looked at her.

She smiled brightly. "Sorry, was that abrupt?" she laughed. "I was just thinking about the exhibition tonight, and everyone getting so excited... but in St. Petersburg, there's... opera houses and world-renown ballet troupes and... multiple rinks, just. All sorts of cultural things, right?"

"True," Victor still didn't understand what she was getting at, but. "It's a pretty big city. It was the Imperial capital for two centuries," he told her, feeling oddly like some sort of cultural representative.

Which, of course, he _was_ , officially, but.

"I suppose it's not at all unusual to just... see colors at random, like... floating above a theater or something, just any night of the week?" she continued.

He furrowed his brow and went back to watching Yurio. He really ought to stop practicing soon... "No, it's pretty common. A lot of larger cities are like that. Tokyo is like that."

"I've lived my whole life here. I always wanted to travel... well, I _wanted_ to be a sorcerer, travel all over the world going to festivals... when that didn't work out, I thought I'd at least be able to travel. Not so easy, though, when you get knocked up right out of high school. _And_ you have triplets, so," she sighed heavily. He bit his lip to keep from laughing. "Oh, I mean, my girls are _worth it_ , of course, but... the only time I've ever even left Kyushu was for my school trip to Osaka. At the time, it seemed pretty exciting, but.

"This is where Yuri grew up. A place where seeing colors is something we do online or on the tv. When he was certified, he _instantly_ became the most beloved person in town. No matter where we were, where we were going, people would say hello to him, stop him to congratulate him and wish him luck, call out to him from across the street... Vendors would always want to give him free stuff, like food or small toys, whatever. He always felt _so guilty_ about it, like if he didn't _do something_ for _that person directly_ , then he was basically stealing from them. People would stop him and say things like... _My aunt is in town, she's never seen colors in person before, I hope your practice goes well! We'll be outside, cheering you on!_ or _We expect great things from you, Yuri-kun! Keep showing us that stuff we've never seen before!_ Even in school, he overnight became a celebrity. People would clear the hallways for him as he walked by, and he had classmates saying things like, _My grandmother's in the hospital, but her window faces the Ice House. It might make all the difference if you could put on a good show for her!_ "

Victor stared in horror. "That's not how--"

"Magic works," she winked at him. "I know that. Yuri knew that, too. It wasn't like... he just wanted to make everyone happy, though that was a part of it, too. It was like, anytime he was challenged, he wanted to face that challenge. He's super competitive, you know. I'm guessing all Ten Thousand Color sorcerers are."

That might be true, but...

"I know they say in Russia _Victor Nikiforov can cure cancer_ , they say that all over. But. They mean, like, showing your performances on tvs and the like, right? Has anyone ever expected you to _actually_ do anything like?" she asked him innocently, but she had to know the answer.

"Of course not," he replied, fearful of just... where she was going with this.

"I don't know if people here _really_ expected Yuri to be able to do things like that, either. But there was never any shortage of people _asking_. His classmates wanted him to skate well so their teacher would be in a better mood at test time, or because their mother was in a bad mood, and they wanted to ask something from her. It was like, constant love and adoration, but also constant expectation, too. Even before he'd been certified, Yuri was prone to feeling anxious. Minako-sensei was the one who was most worried about him. But.

"It _seemed_ like... everything was fine. He skated every day, worked really hard, he was just. Super focused. It _seemed like_ that was exactly how he was _supposed_ to be. Nakamura-san had given Yuri a key, so he would practice before school and after hours, too. He fell asleep in class all the time. His teachers didn't care. Even if he left half a test form blank or didn't turn in his homework, he always got top grades. What difference did it make if a Ten Thousand Color sorcerer knew how to differentiate, or whatever, right?"

Victor grimaced. He knew _that_ well. His own education had been set as the lowest priority after he'd been certified by everyone around him.

"So, one day, Yuri was asleep in class, and... oh, he was... fifteen at the time. And... he slumped over and fell out of his chair. But, he still didn't wake up," her voice was steady, but the emotion that ripped through it made Victor fearful. "He was completely unresponsive. They called for an ambulance... when he got to the hospital, they did tests. He was severely dehydrated, completely exhausted, his electrolytes were out of whack..." she shrugged, taking a deep breath. "It came out that he'd been skipping meals to go skate. His parents, you know... they have their business to run... they hadn't noticed that he'd been leaving without breakfast every day. And he'd even slip out late to skate in the middle of the night. He was... in _really_ bad shape." She paused to collect herself, clearing her throat.

Victor was staring.

"Takeshi and I went to... went to visit him. They'd... they'd strapped his wrists to the bed," she pantomimed wrapping something around her wrists, looking at Victor with wet, emotional eyes. "Like he was a criminal or... or something. And. And... all he would say to us was... was to ask us to undo the straps, he. He wanted to _go skate_ , he said he. He couldn't feel like _himself_ if he couldn't. Couldn't go and. And. All around his wrists, they were red, because he kept pulling at the restraints, and..." She sniffed, trying to compose herself.

Her emotion was affecting him. He tried to picture Yuri strapped to a hospital bed, probably with an IV in, right? It was an image that, once he conjured it, he willed it away immediately.

"He was in the hospital for a week. The doctors... wanted him to see a therapist, or something like that. I don't think he actually talked to anyone, though. After he was released... well. Nakamura-san... said something about insurance, and asked for the key back, but. Yuri knew why he had to return it. Minako-sensei thought that if Yuri had another Ten Thousand Color sorcerer as a coach, it might go better. She convinced a friend of a friend of hers to come to Hasetsu to be his coach. He was a great guy, but he was pretty old. He didn't even want to travel to Tokyo for National competitions. When Yuri was ready to make his senior debut, he called one of his former students to come evaluate him. That's how Yuri met Coach Celestino. But, Coach Celestino said that... that working in such a small town was detrimental to Yuri's... Yuri's _fragile ego_ , so he said Yuri had to come back to Detroit with him. Of course, Yuri finished high school first. After graduation, he moved... The day he left, everyone in town gathered near the train station to see Yuri off. The whole time, though... Yuri just had his head down. He kept apologizing to everyone. I guess he thought... that leaving Hasetsu was a sign of his... failure or something, I don't really know. Like, he _owed_ us all his colors, I." She shook her head. 

Victor wondered if he should be offering her some sort of comfort, but.

She made an effort to smile at him. "I know we all spoil Yuri. _And_ , at the same time, we also fuss over him to the point of being suffocating. Celestino was probably right, and he probably _was_ better off far away from people who... who maybe cared _too_ much but not well, or whatever. I don't know. You were probably right, we _don't_ know what's best for Yuri."

Victor's eyes widened, and his throat went dry. No... he'd... he'd be _so very wrong_...

"Speaking just for myself, I know... I _never_ want to see him like that again. Strapped to a bed, looking so helpless and miserable... Just. _Broken_. ...On the other hand, it wasn't easy watching the last Grand Prix Final, either. I know all he can think about is... how, after so long, he came home even more a failure, and how he needs to redeem himself, so. When you showed up... Well, there's no doubt that _you're_ what's best for Yuri. It's just unfortunate! If only your marks hadn't appeared until he was even a little more self-confident...!" She shrugged, an _oh well!_ kind of gesture.

Feeling ill, Victor turned his attention back to the rink. ...Ah, Yurio had already left!

"The thing is, I'm pretty sure Yuri himself doesn't know what's best for him, so. It wouldn't do any good for anyone else to know, anyway," she smiled at him again.

He returned the smile. That was the least he could do. "Yuko-san... thank you for... sharing this with me." He wasn't sure what to do with this, but it did help make sense of things. "Yuko-san, do you... do you have any recording of Yuri playing the piano?"

She looked like she had to reset her thinking. "Ah! He told you about that?"

"It came up," he smiled genially. 

"It's been a while since he seriously practiced, I think... Oh! I do have something! And it's really good, wait..." She started to scroll through her phone. "This is from his third year in high school, their cultural festival. Ah, it's not that kind of festival, just... a school thing. Do they do them in Russia?"

"I... don't think so," Victor shrugged.

"Well, anyway, Yuri's class did a talent show, and he played the piano, and some girls were dancing... Here it is! I have it as both audio only and video. You want me to send you both?" she offered.

"Please," he nodded, taking out his phone.

"Ok, one second, let me... how do I share from here... oh, here it is! Ok!" she sent him the files.

He started the song as soon as he could, and then his eyes widened and he started to smile. "I love this song. I was going to use it for a spell a while ago, but I just couldn't work out the details."

"Really? Yuri picked this song himself," she informed him brightly.

He smiled at her. At least he and Yuri shared this tiny thread. "Can I... borrow your office? I want to listen to this."

"Sure!" she beamed at him. "Help yourself! I'll check and see if Yurio needs anything. ...Or if my girls have set anything on fire or overthrown any governments." She made a face, but.

"I'm confident their leadership will be appreciated," he winked at her.

She rolled her eyes.

He went to the Ice House's office, and closed the door. He stretched out on the sofa, and put in ear phones so he could hear Yuri's music better. The song was a beautifully sad and soft song, _An Accidental Memory in the Case of Death_. Yuri's playing sounded rough, but it fit the song well enough, and didn't detract from the theme. Victor could picture dancing to this song, taking Yuri out to the center of the ice, leading him through a gentle waltz. 

He could picture it perfectly.

☽☾

Victor had his head down on the table in the dining area. That was probably considered to be rude, but he'd seen Yuri do it before, so... perhaps no one would care. Of course, when Yuri had put his head down at dinner, it was because he was tired from training all day. Yuri was in Spain, and in Spain, it was now just after one thirty in the afternoon. They took naps in the afternoon in Spain, didn't they? Maybe Yuri was taking a nap right now. Or, maybe he was eating lunch with the dance troupe. Or, he might be out shopping. Madrid was a beautiful city, full of life. He might just be sightseeing. Victor would like to go sightseeing with Yuri. Maybe to a city where neither of them had been before... where would that be? Someplace Victor had never been... there weren't that many places. He'd been skating for about a decade professionally. There were always exhibitions and festivals being held everywhere. Maybe someplace tropical? 

He wanted to hear Yuri's voice.

"Vicchan, are you not drinking? Are you feeling all right?"

Victor smiled up at Yuri's mother. It was... amusing, perhaps, that she was worried for his health because he _wasn't_ drinking. "I... suppose I'm just tired, Katsuki-san."

She made a face at him, and then she knelt down next to him. She patted his bangs, just like he was a puppy. "Now, now...! Don't be so down! Did you see the photos Minako-senpai sent today?"

"Yeah," he smiled, but he didn't look at Yuri's mother. Minako's friend had sent her photos from the rehearsal of the dance troupe. Yuri had looked good, he'd been smiling. He was wearing a fingerless glove on his left hand.

"That boy will be home soon, take heart!" she patted his back. "You look so depressed! What would Yuri think if he saw you now?"

Victor's mind blanked out. He didn't want to think about what Yuri would think of him. Maybe something along the lines of... _You're still sponging off my parents?_ No, that was much too harsh. Yuri would never think that.

He hoped.

Yuri's mother picked up Victor's right hand, and looked at his palm. He lifted his head, and propped it on his left hand. He watched her looking over their mark. It felt... nice?

"You know, Toshiya and I were... well, I was sixteen, and he was twenty-one when our marks appeared. It was pretty scary, to be honest! I knew Toshiya, but not that well. I had a friend who was close to his younger cousin, we lived in the same general area, I'd been to Yu-topia before... It wasn't just the age gap, though, that frightened me," she confided in him. "When I was younger... I dreamed of going to college in Tokyo. I didn't have big dreams, really. I wanted to study something useful, like accounting, and get a job in a office in Tokyo. I wanted to live someplace surrounded by lots and lots of people, and lots of things going on all the time! I just. I really wanted to see if I could do it, you know? Be a Big City Girl! That might sound silly to someone who grew up in a large city," she shrugged.

"Not at all," he shook his head quickly, reassuring her.

"One thing I was certain of growing up... I _definitely_ didn't want to spend the rest of my life in Hasetsu!" she laughed. "And then, becoming soul mates with Toshiya... his family had owned Yu-topia for generations. His mother was such a fine lady! You know, Yuri probably most takes after her... she was a real... well, the term we'd use is _Yamato Nadeshiko_. She was a queen here, always in her kimono, her hair just... _so perfect_ , all the time. The prospect of spending the rest of my life here, running this onsen, working with my perfect mother-in-law who I would _never_ measure up to... it was just, _very_ daunting.

"But Toshiya, you know, he's so easy-going. He didn't want to interfere with my dreams. _Sometimes, soulmates don't stay together, I'm sure. If it's truly meant to be, it's meant to be, that's all. You live your life. Move to Tokyo if that's what you want. I'm not going to hold you back._ Probably, it wasn't that much more appealing to him, at twenty-one, finding himself with a sixteen year old soulmate!"

Victor tried to imagine it. What if he'd met Yuri when he was... twenty, and Yuri was just sixteen? Victor would have been the one running away in that scenario.

"In the end, I was accepted to a school in Tokyo, but... it would have been a great hardship for my parents. So, I went to school in Fukuoka, but all that time, Toshiya and I were in contact with each other. He wrote me letters. They were so... gentle and kind. He was always interested in what I was interested in, no matter what. And I suppose I started to fall for him. Plus, I got pregnant." She shrugged dismissively. "There's not a lot to do out here in the sticks..."

Abashedly, Victor laughed. "Well, girls get pregnant in big cities, too. I think there might be something else going on besides boredom..." he winked at her. 

She winked back at him. "I thought I'd end up unhappy... that I'd spend my days resenting all the opportunities I'd missed out on. I never finished school, I never lived in a big city... I thought that _this_ ," she held up her palm and looked at her mark, "wouldn't be enough to balance out everything I'd lost. Turned out, being a mother was a lot of fun. And Toshiya's mother... never really warmed to me. But she never got in my way, either, and, poor dear, she died fairly young, shortly after his father did. Yuri never met them. Mari probably just barely remembers them... There's always something going on when you're running a business. I think that's probably true even when you're not! Life just keeps going, no matter what. And. I've got to meet people from all over, just staying put here." She patted his arm. "Getting marked isn't the big romantic finale. It's just a beginning. The rockier the start, the better the ride! Or, at least, you can tell yourself that!" she beamed at him.

He wasn't sure if she meant to cheer him up or not, but he smiled for her efforts. "Katsuki-san... do you have photographs of Yuri from when he was little?"

She blinked, and then she beamed at him. "Well, of course we do! They're upstairs, in the television room, on the shelf. The bottom shelf is for Yuri. We don't have that many, I'm afraid. Running your own business... you don't get to take many breaks," she apologized.

"That's fine. It's all right if I...?" he pointed toward the television room.

"Well, well, isn't this nice! You're asking first!" she teased him, patting his head again. "Of course, of course, help yourself!" she winked at him, and then she got back up to get back to work.

He watched her for a moment, admiring her work ethic, even if she herself admitted that it led to them overlooking their children now and again. He took his bottle and glass and went upstairs. The room was empty, since it wasn't a room for guests to use. He put his bottle and glass on the table, and then knelt in front of the shelf. He took the first book off the bottom shelf and opened it to be sure, and then he looked at a few others. He took four books back to the table, and poured himself a drink. 

Yuri was a small and very round baby. Well, Victor didn't know anything about babies, and the page with his baby picture seemed to have some information about his birth, but Victor couldn't read it. There were some numbers, but they didn't make sense to Victor, so he didn't know what was what. There was baby Yuri in the bath, crying, his legs kicking around. There was Yuri learning to walk. There was Yuri sleeping in his sister's lap, his sister looking pretty pissed about it. There was Yuri on his first day of school, Victor assumed, looking super cute in his shorts with his chubby knees showing.

Slowly, he finished off the bottle while looking through the pictures from Yuri's past.

He considered whether or not he wanted another bottle when the door opened and Mari-neechan raised an eyebrow at him. "You're going through his baby pictures? Isn't that a little creepy?"

"I just want to get to know more about Yuri," he pouted at her cutely, knowing for a fact that she wouldn't be impressed. "Is that really so wrong?"

"You're not going to learn anything real by proxy," she pointed out, sitting down opposite to him. She lifted the bottle, but sighed when she found it empty. 

"True, but he knows a lot of random things about me from being my fan for so many years. This will just put us on about equal footing," he shrugged.

"It's annoying that you can say something so arrogant without a thought, and be _right_ on top of it," she deadpanned. She lit a cigarette. "So, what have you learned about Yuri, then?"

"Mm," he closed the book he was looking at. "Yuri has always been cute!" She snorted. "He doesn't smile that much in pictures, but when he does, his smile is irresistible." She seemed to agree with that assessment. "...Was he lonely, growing up?"

She looked at him sharply. "Yuri... wasn't the type to make a lot of friends. But, he also wasn't the type who _needed_ a lot of friends. He would shrink around too many people. He was capable of being happy all on his own," she shrugged.

"That... makes it sound like he's not at all suited to be a sorcerer, though," he remarked nervously. 

She just shrugged. "Who knows? He can still make colors. He's been skating pretty successfully for all this time. Not last year, I guess, but up until then."

"I wonder if something changed last year..." Victor mused.

Mari-neechan watched him sharply. "...That's something you really have to ask him, right?"

He blinked. Then... there _was_ something? He wanted to ask her, but she had left him no choice. That was phrased as a question, but it was an order. "I guess I'll ask him when he comes home."

She watched him for a moment, and then she smirked and took a drag from her cigarette. "Good boy," she teased.

He made a face at her, but that only made her grin more. "So, tell me, then, Mari-neechan," he used that honorific specifically to maker her grimace, "how would you describe your cute little brother?"

She rolled her eyes, and sighed, and she took another drag from her cigarette, and then she put it in the ashtray to rest and scooted over to the shelf. She looked at the books on the first shelf for a moment before taking out one, and then she scooted over to sit next to Victor. "This is my favorite picture of the two of us," she showed him a photo from a beat-up looking album with a lot of pictures somewhat randomly stuffed together. Mari-neechan's hair was all black, and she was in a school uniform. Yuri looked very little, and his glasses seemed too big, and he looked like he'd been crying, but Mari-neechan was holding onto him and beaming. "I was sixteen. So, Yuri was... nine? And. I'd been hanging out with this guy from school... but one day, when I got to school, everyone was looking at me oddly. He'd bragged to all his friends about how he bagged me, even though he'd nearly pissed himself just going in for a kiss. Typical idiot boy school locker room shit, you know."

When Victor was sixteen, the locker rooms he spent time in were exclusively in skating rinks. He'd been gearing up for his senior debut, aiming for junior worlds... so, he really didn't know.

"Anyway, when I found out he'd been spilling shit out of his mouth, I bashed his nose in, right in the middle of the classroom. Of course, I got into trouble. Yuri would often come to the high school to walk home with me if he was going to Minako's for class after school. When he found out from a friend of mine that I was in trouble because I hit that guy who'd been spreading lies about me... well. Yuri went to find the guy. I don't know what he was planning to do, if he thought he could fight the guy or something. But, apparently, he just stood in front of him and his friends, and then Yuri burst into tears, and he cried and cried until the shithead admitted that everything he'd said was a lie, and that he was sorry." 

"Wow," Victor grinned. "The prince saved your reputation, huh?"

She snorted. "Well, my reputation wasn't exactly sterling or anything, but he at least forced that idiot to be honest. When we got home that night, mom and dad were already aware, and ready to lay it on me. But, Yuri talked them into letting me off... of course, he cried again. I'm not even sure why mom and dad were so moved, he cried so often," she rolled her eyes. She then gave Victor a significant look. "Yuri says that he has to battle his demons. You know what he's talking about, right? I think... people mostly get defined by the world either by their best or worst traits. It's just not that simple. Yuri might not be any good in a fight, but he'll still always have your back. That's what I think of my adorable little brother." She winked at him, and then she got up. She grabbed her cigarette. "Don't spend too much time dwelling on this stuff. This is the past. It won't be much longer before Yuri is home. That dance thing is in a couple of days, right?"

He rolled his eyes at her. She wasn't at all the type to cheer someone up! She laughed at him, and then slipped out. 

Victor sighed, and looked at the books. He started to gather them up to put them back on the shelf. He took the bottle down to the kitchen and put it with the rest of the empty bottles, and then went to go find Makkachin. He'd turn in early tonight. The faster and longer he slept, the sooner Yuri would be home, right? He had a lot he wanted to ask Yuri directly.

Like, what happened to that cute poodle Yuri was often with in the album!

☽☾

Makkachin galloped ahead of him and sat down next to the bar, wagging his tail fiercely. Victor sauntered in after him, smiling brightly. "Minako, hiiiii," he trilled happily. "Is it all right for Makkachin to be in here?"

She was looking at him like he was an unruly but very cute little brother. "Of course not, but what difference does it make, anyway? It's just us. Is he thirsty?"

"We both are! But please, just water for Makkachin, thank you!" Victor sat down at the bar.

"Yeah, I figured that out myself," she rolled her eyes. "I think I know what you want, too. ...Did you get the video I sent?"

Victor reached down to stroke Makkachin's head and rub his ears. "Mm. Yuri was beautiful."

"Yeah," she said quietly. She handed him a bowl filled with water. He gently set it down on the floor for Makkachin to savagely tear into it. She then made him a drink. 

Vodka on the rocks with a twist of lemon. 

He smiled at her as he turned the glass around. She'd even used Stolichnaya. He had to wonder if she'd bought it just for him, since it was so expensive. Well, that was probably arrogant of him to think, but it might be true. "Are you trying to get me drunk? Minako?" he purred.

"Like that's all that hard. I thought you were Russian, but who knows," she winked at him. 

"I beg your pardon, I will not have my glorious heritage questioned," he haughtily retorted. "It's just that I have zero percent body fat, so I'm more susceptible to the effects of alcohol." 

Minako made a face and then reached out to pinch his cheeks, pulling them. "You know, I liked you a whole lot more before I got to know you. I don't think I'll ever be able to watch one of your spells again in the same way. I'll just keep thinking to myself... _Sure, he looks cool and suave and sexy, but he's an impossible, insensitive dork who loves to eat and drink and just does whatever ridiculous thing he wants._ You've practically ruined figure skating for me," she pouted.

"Stop that," he swatted her hands away, laughing. "I'm not sure I'd want you to think of me as sexy anymore, anyway!"

"You want everyone in the world to think of you as sexy," she replied instantly.

"Well, _true_ , but I'll be satisfied as long as your cute prodigy student thinks I am," he batted his eyelashes at her.

"He'd probably think you were sexy while you were on the can with the runs," she sighed.

"Minako!" he objected, covering his face. He was laughing, but... he hoped Yuri would never see something like that!

Though... they were going to be together for the rest of their lives... right?

"That's better, when you smile without thinking about how you look, it's much better," she said softly.

He looked at her through his fingers, feeling... exposed.

"So. What did you do today?" she asked him gently.

He sighed, and let his arms fall onto the bar. He looked down at Makkachin affectionately. "Well! After a morning skate, I was feeling... restless, and it's been a while since Makkachin got some good exercise, so... we went for a walk. We walked for hours and hours! We took the road near the river and went up all the way to where it joins the bay, and we were out in the middle of nowhere for the longest time... so, when we saw a dango shop, we stopped for a treat. The place was so far out in the middle of nowhere, it's hard to believe they do good business, but I guess they get fishermen and truck drivers stopping by?"

"Oh, I know the place. ...That's a sure sign we're living in a small town," she lamented.

"It's not so bad," he grinned. He was actually getting to like the small town life, though he couldn't say for sure that he wouldn't feel homesick for St. Petersburg at some point. "...I asked the shopkeeper if he knew Katsuki Yuri. Just... to have something to talk about, and..." Well, he'd been curious. "I think it was about fifteen minutes before he took a breath. He told me about how his mother lived in the countryside, and about seven years ago, he brought her here to see Yuri practice. It was spring, and they had a picnic and a flower viewing at the same time... and when Yuri came to practice, he waved cutely at everyone. And then... they could see the colors in the window, and wafting up to the sky. His mother died a little over a year ago, and on her deathbed, she was talking about how she'd gotten to see _real colors_ in person once in her life."

Minako smiled at him sadly. "The whole world is full of magic... so it's easy to forget sometimes that there are corners like ours where it's so rare."

"That was a lot of pressure for a teenager," he said cautiously.

"Yes, it was," she nodded. " _Too_ much pressure. I'd like to say that it made him stronger or a better artist, but... I think that happened after he left."

Victor turned his attention to his drink, and took another slow sip. He didn't like that answer much, but it wasn't fair of him to blame her in any way. "He creates beautiful colors. Beautiful spells. He's more than capable. His magic is... wonderful."

"Yes, it is," she smiled at him, her eyes going unfocused. "I know he feels like he's never had that one... _signature_ spell, one time he could look at as defining for his career. I was afraid, before you showed up, that he might consider throwing in the towel... I didn't know what to say to him to give him the inspiration he needed, but... No sorcerer should give up too soon."

Victor blinked. Her tone had changed...

"I'm only a Five Thousand Color sorcerer. I could never fully manifest on my own. But, that didn't matter. When I danced with my troupe, all together, we could make some amazing colors happen. I danced Odette/Odile in Swan Lake in London. The troupe was magnificent... we'd danced together for almost two years, and there was as little backstabbing and sniping as you can have in a troupe. It was a _beautiful_ , clear, cool night... we were one week away from closing, in September. My Siegfried was a wonderful Italian man who had trained in Russia. In the third act, the great climax where Odile tricks Siegfried into betraying Odette, the audience was enthralled, Siegfried was flawless, I was at my best... on the thirtieth of the thirty-two fouetté turns, fireworks exploded in the sky above us. I was so surprised, I thought I'd fall over before I finished! I never thought I'd be part of a spectacular manifestation. The audience kept cheering for almost a half hour when it was over." Her eyes were shining, and Victor knew.

She could still see those colors. They'd been permanently stained into her memory. He knew that feeling well.

"Knowing that you're actually _creating_ love and happiness... seeing it all around you, feeling the audience with you... When you're young, you think it'll just keep going on forever. You don't think about what it'll be like _after_. You just... keep going, and..." she shrugged. "But it _ends_. There's an injury, your joints aren't as strong as they need to be, you aren't as flexible as you once were, you aren't as strong... whatever. _Age_ happens, and then it's _over_ , and. The colors you see are just... never the same as the colors you _made_. And then there's something _missing_ in your life, something _important_. It was who you were, it was what you were, and now it's... just a memory. Just a recording. You can't get it back." Minako was slumping more and more, until she picked up Victor's drink and took a sip. 

She looked up at Victor, and she must have realized how he was staring at her. Her words... of _course_ , he'd _thought_ about it before, but. It wasn't like being in a troupe and using some tried-and-true music and choreography that people already loved. At least... he never thought of it being the same, but...

"Oh! Don't listen to me," she laughed stiffly. "I'm just... navel-gazing, I suppose! And besides, you... you have a soulmate. So that's... I mean, he ran away, but he'll be back, and...! Ten Thousand Color sorcerers still participate in festivals even when they're old... usually in groups, then, but... ah..."

He decided to change the subject, since there wasn't any pleasant way to go from there. "Do you ever regret not finding your soulmate?"

"Oh, _hell_ no," Minako looked relieved by the change in topic. "I never wanted children, firstly. I didn't want my body changing so much, I wanted it to stay under my control. I never wanted to make accommodations for another person, either. I had my own dreams, my own ambitions... I didn't want to make compromises, ever. Even now, I like having my own space, my own studio, my own name." She smirked, winking at him. "I'm just a selfish person. But as long as I have a student like Yuri, it doesn't feel like I've had to give anything up. I don't know how Hiroko would react hearing this, but he's like my own dear son. So, don't let me catch you hurting him!" she teased him, grabbing his nose between her thumb and forefinger and wiggling it.

Makkachin barked cheerfully at the sight of his master being manhandled.

He pushed her hand away coyly, and then winked at her. "Don't worry, I have every intention of treating him with nothing but tender loving care from now on," he promised, purring just a little and adding a suggestive bent to his eyebrow.

"I _just_ got finished saying he was like a precious son to me!" she laughed, giving him a playful chop to the crown of his head. "You stupidly gorgeous man, don't try and make me think of my darling Yuri and sexual stuff!"

"He's not a child anymore," Victor laughed.

"He's _family_ ," Minako sighed. "I used to hold his tissue for him so he could blow his nose. I hated doing it, but he was adorable, so it was worth it."

Victor shook his head. He had no idea what she was talking about. "Don't worry about it. I first have to get him to be in the same country as me. Then, I can move forward with seducing him."

"You're incorrigible," she sighed overly dramatically, but she was still laughing. "What are we going to..." she stopped and looked at her phone which started to play a pas de deux from Carmen. She immediately grabbed it and answered. "Francisco! What time is it there? Did you send Yuri home?"

Victor leaned forward, hoping to hear something from the other end.

"What do you mean, _Italy?_ What are you talking about? ...Francisco, you were supposed to put him on a plane home! You were supposed to do that _over a week ago_. What am I supposed to tell his mother? Who is he going to Italy with? Did you get him a phone? How are you going to keep tabs on him? ...Well, does she understand how important it is for us to keep tabs? Everyone here is worried about him! ...Don't tell me he's fine, _I'll_ tell _you_ if he's fine or not when I see him! I expect you to keep me updated! At least three times a day! I can't believe this!" she pressed the red button on the screen as hard as she could, but it wasn't like she was going to slam her phone around.

She looked up at Victor, and she lost the color in his face.

"I... I have to call Hiroko. You... heard? The troupe is... is going to festival in Italy, and..." 

"Italy... at this time of year. It's maybe the Calendimaggio in Assisi. I've heard it's quite a festival. I hope he has fun." She was looking at him sympathetically, and he couldn't bear that, so he downed the rest of his vodka, and then smiled at her. "Call Yuri's mom. It's... time for me to take Makkachin to bed, anyway."

"I... He said the festival was in just few days, and Yuri should come home after that," she offered.

He smiled at her, but it was a smile for photographers. "Of course. I'll see you," he nodded to her. Makkachin followed him out, bumping against his leg reassuringly. Victor wanted to get back to Yu-Topia quickly so he could be alone with Makkachin.

☽☾

"It's time to close up, babe," Yuko ran her hand up and down Nishigori's back. 

He smiled at his wife wearily. "Can't." He pointed out to the ice. Victor was still skating.

"Is he making a new spell?" she leaned forward eagerly. Probably, she'd be able to recognize every spell Victor had ever made in just a few moves.

"Hell if I know. He's been skating for hours, though. ...I keep expecting fireworks or big splashes of color," he winked at her.

"Victor isn't Yuri. He needs more than just a few people watching," she smirked, returning his wink.

Others might think that what made Yuri special was useless, but they thought he was amazing.

"It _looks_ like he's working on a spell, but there's no music?" she asked him.

"He's got headphones on," Nishigori sighed.

"Oh," she looked like she knew something he didn't know. "Well, we've got to pick up the girls from Minako-sensei's. Why doesn't he use Yuri's key?" she asked.

"I asked him if he could get it. He said it was _important_ to Yuri, and he didn't want to mess with that. Essentially. It sounded like he knew more that I knew he knew," he looked at his wife sidelong.

She smiled in the exact same way their triplets smiled when they were most definitely up to something but pretending that they weren't. "Hm. I'm not even sure you know what you mean there."

"I mean that Yuri won't thank you for telling him about _that_ ," Nishigori chastised her, knowing it would have about as much effect as when he scolded his girls.

"No, he won't," Yuko admitted, "but he never would have told Victor himself. And. It's important."

"Why?" Nishigori responded too harshly. He tried to temper it down. "It's in the past. He's gotten better since then."

"Has he? He ran off to _Spain_ , and now Italy, Takeshi. Victor deserved... some _context_ , if nothing else. Believe me, Yuri would be even more upset if Victor gave up on him."

Nishigori watched Victor glide elegantly across the ice. What was true was true, but. "Fine, yes. But don't come crying to me if Yuri gets mad at you."

"Yuri would never get mad at me. He'd _be_ mad at me, but he'd never _get_ mad at me. ...I wish he would. What do you want to do about...?" she waved her hand toward the ice. "You want to leave him one of our keys?"

That would be inconvenient in many ways. "You go on ahead. I'll wait it out. He'd probably forget to lock the door anyway." 

"Ok," she laughed. "I'll keep dinner warm for you, then."

"Thanks," he smiled at Yuko. 

She gave him a pat on the butt and then she headed out. 

He sat down and pulled out his phone. He absently flipped through the news and social media while watching Victor skate. Nishigori still wasn't used to seeing Victor skating without seeing the colors. There were certain aspects that surprised Nishigori about it, and there were certain things that reminded Nishigori of Yuri practicing. Victor would probably enjoy hearing that.

Nishigori pulled up the video Minako-sensei had shared of Yuri in Spain dancing at the festival. About halfway through the performance, there were definitely colors around Yuri's hands and feet. His expressions were good, too, very passionate. It wasn't like it was a dance for a theater. It looked like they were performing in a park in Madrid. Nishigori was almost certain that Yuri was wearing mascara and maybe even eye liner. Nishigori always did like it when Yuri wore makeup. 

He heard something and looked up, and he realized that Victor must have fallen. So, even Victor Nikiforov fell. Of course he did, but it was still amazing. Nishigori left the control room, turning off the lights, and he went out to the rink. Victor was still brushing himself off. He looked annoyed.

"I was thinking earlier that you reminded me of Yuri practicing, but there are limits," he teased.

Victor looked at him angrily, but he clearly made the effort to swallow down his reaction before composing his expression in a perfect Victor Nikiforov smile.

Being a celebrity had to be exhausting.

"Sorry, I'm keeping you, aren't I?" Victor asked.

"Nah, don't give it a thought. Happy to be of any assistance to a Ten Thousand Color sorcerer. You will have to apologize to Yuko tomorrow, though. She's the one at home with the girls on her own," he rolled his eyes.

He was serious, though, he didn't envy his wife.

Victor smiled, and then leaned against the railing. "I'll find some way to make it up to her," he promised with a flirty wink.

"Oh dear," Nishigori mock-sighed. "Well, if you're going to steal my wife from me, remember that the triplets are part of the package. If I'm going to be left heartbroken by some Russian heartthrob, I'm going to be a free man as compensation."

"You both complain so much, but you'd never give up your girls for anything," Victor grinned.

"That's true, but we wouldn't mind a little time off. Even a night off. Or a weekend. When Yuri comes back, you two can take them some weekend as a present. I'm just giving you ideas," Nishigori said, and Victor would probably think he was teasing, but he wasn't. Not at all.

"Right, I'll keep that in mind," Victor laughed. "Ah, I'm beat. And I'm starving! Time to head back home, I suppose."

Nishigori blinked. He couldn't believe he was about to do this, but. "Why don't you come home with me? I can drive you back to Yu-topia after we eat." Victor blinked, looking at him in surprise. Nishigori smirked. "We've got _loads_ of pictures and videos of Yuri from his school days."

Victor perked up, and Nishigori found it... endearing?... that Victor was so easily tempted by Yuri. "All right, sure. Though, I've heard stories of your wife's cooking."

"Don't worry, we've got lots of leftovers from what I made last night," Nishigori assured him.

Victor slid over to the opening and stepped out, tapping off his skates. He kept his head down, looking at his feet. "So... do you think Yuri will come home after the dance tomorrow?"

Nishigori blinked. "Ah... that's... that's what Minako-sensei's friend said. That... he agreed to stay with the troupe until they were done in Italy because their dancer was out injured. But.

"I don't think I need to tell you at this point that Yuri is pretty strong-willed. Or stubborn. Whichever you prefer. I hate to say it myself, but... he's not going to come home until he decides himself to do so." He hastened to add seeing Victor's face fall, "But I doubt he'd be gone too much longer. I mean, if nothing else... he still has his spell for next season to perfect, so..."

Victor carefully straightened up and put his shoulders back, and smiled. "Of course. ...I'm looking forward to seeing him again." 

Nishigori felt his throat constrict. "Yeah... me, too," he muttered. He waited for Victor to gather up his things, and then they headed off.

☽☾


	6. Fifth Spell

☽☾

**Fifth Spell**

☽☾

"Sir? Excuse me, but we'll be landing soon. Do you need a language plug?"

The flight attendant was smiling brightly at him, so Yuri pulled down the cheap headphones he'd bought at the airport. He wasn't really listening to anything. "Oh! Um..." 

"We have the standard Spanish plugs. We also have expanded plugs for Mediterranean Europe, which will cover Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, and Greek for just a _little_ more." He beamed at Yuri brightly. He seemed very proud of their language plug collection.

"Th-that one is good, thanks," Yuri agreed, holding out his thumb for the biometric scanner.

"Excellent! Are you familiar with language plugs? Each plug will work for approximately two to three weeks, allowing you to both hear and speak in the language you are being spoken to, if it's programmed in. It won't assist you with reading. If you need to get a new plug, you can get one at most post offices and convenience stores, as well as train stations and airports. It fits in your ear like any ear plug. Hey, you look familiar to me, you aren't by chance on television or something?" he asked, putting his hand on the back of Yuri's seat.

 _Crap, crap_ , Yuri thought, shrinking away from the man. "I think I just have that sort of face," he smiled, slipping the plug into his ear before putting his headphones back in. He turned his head to look out the window.

The flight attendant had to go on to the next passenger.

Yuri had never been to Spain before, and he'd never flown first class before. This trip was really going to deplete his savings. It wasn't like he was going to get a ton of invitations to exhibitions or endorsement offers, not with the way he was. He should have thought about that.

Victor probably always flew first class. He probably hadn't flown coach since he was a teenager. Yuri balled his left hand into a fist, and bit his lip. By now, Victor already knew that Yuri had run away.

Yuri wasn't going to think about that. 

The next song that came on was a terrible one. Yuri had bought a music player along with the crappy headphones so he'd at least have something to listen to. He hated watching movies on planes. He should have bought a book or a magazine, but he was too wired up to read, anyway.

This was crazy, wasn't it?

 _Don't think about that_ had become his mantra. He thought instead about Madrid. What was in Madrid again? Yuri knew that Spain had amazing architecture and art. Maybe he should spend some time wandering around. He could buy one of those old fashioned instant cameras or something. It might be fun, being a tourist.

Yuri got Minako's box out from under his seat and held onto it for the descent. His fingers pushed into the cardboard. He glanced at the address. Should he get a taxi coming out of the airport? Or should he try to figure out public transportation? He didn't even have his phone. Should he get a phone at the airport? He should probably... call his mother... his parents were going to be worried about him, weren't they?

 _Don't think about that_. He watched the ground get closer and closer until the plane touched down. He wouldn't need a phone. He wouldn't be gone... long... and then, when he got back, well.

He was helping Minako-sensei.

Being in first class meant he got to deplane first. He followed the flow of people in the airport, which lead to the baggage claim and the doors to where the exits were. All right, now he just needed to ask someone...

"Katsuki Yuri?"

Yuri froze, thinking someone had recognized him. He turned slowly toward the source of the voice.

A tall man wearing a stylish fitted outfit with his hair in a ponytail was smiling at him. "Did you get a language plug? I can't speak Japanese... Minako warned me to look out for you. I really appreciate you coming all this way, Katsuki-san. Oh, I'm Francisco Montero." He smiled widely and held out his hand.

Francisco Montero was the name on the box. Of course Minako would have called her friend and told him Yuri was coming. She'd been really worried... Yuri shuffled the box around in his arms so he could shake the man's hand. "Ah, hello, Katsuki Yuri... thank you..." Wait, was this guy going to just take the box and send him back to go home? Yuri felt his heart start to pound and race. He wasn't ready...

Minako's friend was watching him closely. "You look tired, must have been a long flight. I'm sorry, I didn't bring my car. It's not long by train, though. When we get back to my place, I'll make you a nice big dinner and then you can nap. How's that sound?"

Yuri blinked. "Ah, I don't... want to put you out."

"Don't give it a thought!" Francisco Montero slapped him on the back. Yuri clung to the box. "Just make sure to tell Minako how well I treated you when you get home. I miss dancing with her!" 

Yuri didn't know what to say, but fortunately, it didn't seem that he had to say anything at all. 

They took a bus to a train station, and then the train to another train, and then they walked six blocks and Yuri was led up into an old-looking building to Minako's friend's apartment. All the while, Yuri tried to take in the sights, but it all blurred together with the sunset.

Maybe he really was tired.

Most of Francisco's apartment had been taken over by the dance festival he was organizing. There were pamphlets, posters, papers, costumes, and set pieces everywhere. He had Yuri put Minako's tiara down someplace relatively clear, and then they went into the kitchen. Once he sat down, Yuri felt it all hit him. He wasn't even sure what he was eating, and he didn't know what the man was saying, but the moon was bright and everything felt pleasant enough. After Yuri started to nod off over his plate, Francisco showed him to a guest room, which was filled with more costumes, but there was at least a bed.

Yuri fell down onto it and into a dreamless sleep almost immediately.

☽☾

Yuri woke up slowly. The light in the room was bright, and he wondered why he hadn't drawn the drapes. Then, he realized that there wasn't a wall next to him, and this wasn't his bed at home. Then, he realized that he wasn't at home at all. He opened his eyes and tried to assess his situation.

That was right. Victor had moved into his room, and he had run away. _Like a freaking lunatic._ What must Victor be thinking now? Of course, what else could he think? He _had_ to realize by now that Yuri was right, and these marks on their hands were _mistakes_. And, at this point... after seeing Yuri freak out and run away so many times now... 

Victor must be _grateful_ that it wasn't real and that he wasn't stuck with an idiot like Yuri for a soulmate.

Sickness coursed through Yuri. He repressed the urge to vomit because he didn't know where the bathroom was, but... he was going to need to find out, he just. He needed to calm down his gagging, he needed. He needed to get control.

 _Just don't think about it_. That was right. He needed to _stop_ his damned head. He needed.

He just needed to get through the day. That was all. 

The first step was to put his feet on the ground.

After another five minutes, he was able to get that done. He was still in the clothes he'd flown in, which were feeling about as rank as he was at the moment. _Just don't think about it_. He started to move to the door, and his head was already pounding. He managed to open the door, and that was probably an accomplishment of some sort. He only had to take a few steps outside the room before he saw what was obviously a bathroom. That was an even bigger accomplishment. He used the bathroom and washed his face. He was on a roll.

He went out and crept around the apartment like a damned creeper, finding Francisco in the living room, organizing. "Yuri! Good to see you! Did you sleep well? You really must have been tired!" 

Francisco was so bright and cheerful, Yuri couldn't help but straighten up and smile enough to not seem like a jerk. "Ah... thank you, Francisco-san. I... I slept well, yes."

"Great! Are you hungry? You want a shower? Ah, let me lend you some clothes, you look rumpled. Were you... planning on doing much here in Madrid, since you've come? I wish I had time to show you around, but the festival is at the end of next week, so..." Francisco talked faster than Phichit when one of his photos started to get a lot of views.

"I, I, uh, haven't really got any plans, but I don't want to inconvenience you at all." Yuri shifted from foot to foot, feeling like he should probably get out of Francisco's hair as quickly as he could.

"No worries! Take a shower, and then we'll have a bite, and then... maybe you'd like to deliver the tiara yourself to the dancers?" Francisco winked at Yuri. "I'll get some clothes for you, so help yourself to anything in the bathroom!" 

"Ah, um... that... thank you, then, I will," Yuri bowed to him.

Francisco laughed. "Don't be so formal! A friend of Minako's is a friend of mine. Please, make yourself at home!"

Yuri didn't know how to respond to that, so he just bowed again and headed back to the bathroom. He shed his clothes and got right into the shower. It would be nice to soak in a bath... but he was the one who ran away from home, where the best bath in the world was.

 _Just don't think about it_.

He didn't want to dirty too many towels, so he just used his hands to spread around the soap, and he used as little shampoo as he could. When he was done with his shower, he wrapped a towel around his waist. In the guest bedroom, Francisco had laid out shorts and a loose long sleeved t-shirt. Yuri put them on, pleased at least that the shirt didn't hang below the shorts. He went back out to find Francisco in the kitchen cooking. Before he could say a word, Francisco greeted him, "Looking good! Have a seat. I know you just woke up, but i hope you don't mind if I made something more substantial, since it's nearly two anyway."

"Ah!" Yuri looked at the clock. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to..."

"Don't apologize," Francisco smiled at Yuri, but his eyes were serious. "I don't know what's going on, exactly, but a man doesn't fly halfway around the world on a whim. You've got something you need to work out. That's fine. Take your time. You can think of this messy apartment as sanctuary for now." He winked at Yuri, and then put a plate in front of him. "Tortilla española! Dig in!"

He got himself a plate, too, and then started to pour out a large glass of wine for Yuri.

"Oh, no, that's all right, I..." Yuri started.

"Nonsense, nonsense, you need fortification for the day!" Francisco brightly ignored Yuri.

"Mm, but, I'm on a strict training diet..." Yuri vainly tried to stop him, but he was already pouring an even bigger glass for himself.

"You're on vacation! And if you're going to accompany me to rehearsal, you'll work off this lunch in no time!"

Yuri smiled weakly, and then, since Francisco raised his glass, he did the same and then took a sip after clinking them together. It was good wine, though Yuri was far from being an expert. He kept eating, hoping to be able to slowly sip at his wine without drinking too much. Francisco started talking about the festival he was organizing, and how he felt like he was herding cats, and some of the behind the scenes gossip, which included not one but two love triangles, both of which shared one point, and how the city made things difficult in getting the right permits. An ordering snafu left them desperately short on funds for a while, to the point where it seemed like it might all get called off. There wasn't much time left, and one of the principle dancers sprained his ankle, so a backup had to be called up, and so far, he wasn't cutting the mustard.

It was easy to relax around Francisco, and it was easy to _not think_.

Yuri insisted on washing up the dishes while Francisco got everything he needed to take with him to the rehearsal. When he was done, Yuri got the box with the tiara, and they headed out.

The streets were quiet since it was still, technically, siesta time. Yuri tried to keep up with Francisco while still soaking in as much of his surroundings as he could. It didn't take long for them to get to where the festival was being set up. They went to the main rehearsal area. There were dozens of performers and tech people around, so Yuri kept close to Francisco. They reached a bandshell in the middle of the park, and on stage there was the dance troupe they were clearly delivering the tiara to, but they weren't rehearsing. In fact, they seemed to be arguing. A rather beautiful older woman was standing on the grass in front of them looking very tired.

Francisco came up to the stage and boomed out, "Ok, ok, ok, ok, ok!! Let's settle down! If I may have your attention! Please don't forget that you have just over a week to get all these details ironed out! And, in that vein, look what I've brought you..."

"Oh, Francisco!" the lead female dancer clapped her hands together, and grinned. "You are _too kind!_ You brought me a Ten Thousand Color sorcerer to dance with!" She jumped off the stage and went to Yuri, grabbing his arm. "And he's adorable! Oh, he's perfect, thank you!"

"Ah, no, wait," Francisco began.

"It's Yuri, right? Yuri Katsuki. No, no, sorry, you're from Japan, so it's Katsuki Yuri. I'm Ariana. The colors you made at the Trophée de France last year were just beautiful. I've watched that spell a dozen times already," she beamed at him.

He flushed. He'd come really close to gold at the Trophée de France, but his second place cemented his qualification to the Final. Where he'd...

"We need you, Yuri-kun," she pouted at him. "My Prince Désiré sprained his ankle, and that fool can barely keep his balance walking across a room," she glared up a rather young-looking man who, Yuri had to admit, did not look at all like Prince Désiré.

"You're doing _Sleeping Beauty_? I'm not a dancer. I just came to bring the tiara..." he held up the box to show her.

"Well, who else gives a Princess her tiara, except her Prince?" she winked at him. "And all figure skaters are great dancers. We're doing a modern, Spanish-inspired version of the wedding of Aurora and Désiré, with a flamenco. You aren't going tell me a figure skater can't do a flamenco," she winked at him. "Are you?"

"It's... I really can't... I mean..." she was challenging him, and it made him want to prove to her that he could. "It's not like I've spent any time seriously studying it," he tried to put her off.

She grinned, and opened the box. She put the tiara on, moving a pin around in her hair to secure it. She raised an eyebrow to him and then held out her hand. "Let's see what kind of moves you've got, Yuri-kun. We all want to see it, right?"

The rest of the troupe started to cheer. He had no choice. 

She led him up to the stage, and then they went to the center of everyone. The guitarists started to play, and she just smirked, and began her dance.

A flamenco wasn't like a waltz. She danced around him, and then struck a pose, so he mimicked her dance as best he could. Just following the music and her motions, he was able to dance, but he was improvising. Wait, wasn't the flamenco a dance that was _supposed_ to be improvised? In that case...

He spun on the ball of his foot, putting his hand on her waist to guide her, and then he changed the direction of their dance, making her spin with him. From her grin, he figured it was fine. The dance became a battle for dominance, to the point where Yuri completely forgot that they were supposed to be Aurora and Prince Désiré. The other dancers moved in the background, stomping their feet and clapping their hands to accompany the music. Actually, this reminded him of his Eros music. Thinking like that, he unconsciously added a jump spin, but the other dancers cheered, so he decided to just run with it. As the music reached its crescendo, she was in front of him kicking her leg in the air, so he did the perfectly natural thing. He picked her up, one hand on her waist and one hand on her leg, and spun her around. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he felt like something was familiar. When was the last time he danced a flamenco? He put her down again, and they turned so they were back to back and made complementary poses.

Everyone started to cheer.

Ariana grabbed him by the waist, laughing. "You tried to say you couldn't dance! Now you have to stay, you can see how much we need you!"

He was aware of it in his own head, but he couldn't help it. They were like magic words.

"Now, now, Yuri has his upcoming season to prepare for! You can't expect a Ten Thousand Color sorcerer to drop everything for..." Francisco began.

"I can help. It's just one performance, next week, right? I mean... if you _need_ help..." he looked around for the kid who had been slotted to play Prince Désiré. 

When he caught his eye, the boys eyes widened, and he quickly spoke up, "We _definitely_ need you! He's even better than--" he started, but the girl next to him elbowed him in the ribs to shut him up.

"See?" Ariana beamed, hugging Yuri's arm.

The beautiful older woman next to Francisco stepped closer to the stage, smiling at Yuri in a motherly fashion. "Katsuki-san, my name is Mireli, this is my troupe. It would be an honor for us if you'd join us for this dance, but I couldn't possibly ask you to do something so frivolous if you really don't have the time. Creating a Ten Thousand Color spell is far more important. Are you sure you're free?"

He opened his mouth, but then he considered. He _should_ be working now. In Detroit, he'd spend almost his entire summer on his new spell. The spell Victor had made for him was tough. He should go home. To... Victor... "It's not much time. This might be good for me. If you'll have me." He bowed to Mireli.

"Yay!" Ariana threw her arms up in celebration, and everyone cheered. Yuri flushed deeply, feeling oddly out of place. 

Francisco looked upset, too.

"All right, all right, all right," Mireli calmly said, and by the time she took a breath and smiled, everyone on stage was quiet again. "It looks like we have quite a bit of work ahead of us, then, if we've got a new Prince Désiré. Let's not waste time," she arched an eyebrow, and everyone in the troupe stood at attention.

Yuri liked her.

"Let's go over the program from the top," Ariana suggested. A few people came up to surround them so they could break down the whole routine for Yuri. 

As he listened, he also watched as Mireli spoke to Francisco. Her calm, peaceful smile eventually won him over, and he took a deep breath and smiled back.

Yuri was causing trouble for him, wasn't he?

☽☾

On Saturday, Yuri had breakfast with Francisco. It was the first day since he'd agreed to be in the dance festival that they had some leisure time in the morning. Breakfast was brief and amicable, and Yuri insisted on cleaning up afterward. Francisco took his picture at the sink and sent it to Minako. Yuri was embarrassed, but it was all his own fault for running off, so he couldn't complain.

When he was done, he found Francisco leisurely reading the paper in the living room, which Yuri found funny since he didn't even know people still _got_ newspapers. Also, Francisco was just reading the comics. 

"Uh... Francisco... I'm. I'm really sorry for all the trouble I've caused you," Yuri apologized nervously.

"Mm? What trouble?" Francisco turned the page, getting to a spread about fashion trends.

"Well... crashing at your place unexpectedly and all..." Yuri hedged.

"That's no trouble," Francisco dismissed. "You're helping me out a lot by staying to dance."

"Ah, well, that's..." Yuri bit his lip, looking away.

"You really haven't seen any of the sights, though, right?" Francisco looked up at Yuri.

"Ah? No, well..." Yuri blinked.

"This is your first time in Madrid and I've been too busy to be a good host! Let's fix that right away!" He got to his feet, and beamed. "Let's go sightseeing now!"

"Eh? No, no, I don't want to put you out more...!" Yuri protested.

"I already said," Francisco laughed. "You're no trouble at all!"

"But... I..." Yuri started, but he was waved off.

Francisco got out his phone and made a call. "Mireli? It's Francisco. I'm going to show Yuri some of the sights of Madrid, you want to join us?"

"No, that's not..." Yuri tried to decline, but he did so quietly, because Francisco was on the phone, after all.

"Great! Then, where shall we meet?"

It was useless.

Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the designed spot in the Puerta del Sol, where a handful of people from the troupe, including Ariana, were waiting for them. Mireli beamed, waving to them. "When I said I was going to meet you to show Yuri around, everyone wanted to join me." She winked at Yuri, who flushed.

"We've been so selfish!" Ariana sighed, taking Yuri's arm. "Here we are in this majestic city, surrounded by amazing architecture and art, and all we've been doing is working the poor lamb to death."

"Lamb?" Yuri laughed. Was that better than a bunny, or not?

One of the other dancers, a tall, lean young man about Yuri's age, came up to Yuri's other side, putting his arm around Yuri's shoulders. "Let's get going, then!" Yuri shrank away from him, leaning closer to Ariana. He didn't want to be rude, though. There was probably nothing to his gesture.

They took photos in front of the school where both Picasso and Dalí were students, and they briefly went around to look at art. They stopped in front of an oil painting of a carnival, but everyone was in masks and the colors were so dark and ominous, it gave Yuri a strange feeling. Ariana might have felt the same way, because she was clinging to him even closer as they looked at it. She leaned in and whispered to him, "Mankind is such a dark animal, don't you think? Thank the heavens we have magic, or else, what would we be?"

Yuri blinked, but even if he could think of a response, he couldn't speak. 

Next, they went to a Plaza, a huge open space with a statue of a man on a horse in the center. There were hundreds of people milling about. The entire square was surrounded by buildings, so it was like being in a huge open-air room. Yuri thought it was a pity there was no rink in the center, but he didn't say it. The first floor of the surrounding building housed dozens and dozens of small shops and cafés, and Yuri was struck by how it was all umbrellas and columns and windows. They browsed through some of the tourist shops. Ariana and the other dancer, Raul, were trying to get Yuri to buy something, a souvenir. After looking around, Yuri was drawn to a necklace that was a simple stone on a leather strap, but the stone, which had been beautifully polished, was very close to the color of Victor's eyes. Unable to resist, Yuri bought it, and they decided to keep moving.

Down the road, and to another Plaza, this time more open to streets and with a small manicured garden with a old statue of a man. Francisco was telling Yuri something about the history of the place, but there was a dog, and Yuri was distracted. He wasn't a poodle and he wasn't even brown, but his bark sounded a lot like Makkachin, and Yuri was hoping to pet him. They got close enough, and fortunately Ariana approached the dog's owner first, so they both got to pet the dog. As they left, Yuri beamed at her.

They took more pictures outside a huge, impressive Cathedral. Mireli asked if Yuri wanted to go inside, but he turned her down politely, so they went onward to the Palacio Real where they took more pictures. The place was so huge that Yuri couldn't really take it all in, but in front of the Palacio was the elegant and lush Plaza Oriente, They wandered through the trees, statues, and manicured gardens. Yuri didn't really think of himself as outdoorsy, or into gardening, but he felt a much stronger connection to this place than any other they'd seen so far.

It became obvious why when they got to the far end, where off to the side there was... "A rink!" Yuri exclaimed without thinking. He looked around at everyone, embarrassed. "Ah... it's..."

Francisco grinned. "Back in the day, only the royal sorcerers could use the rink. Nowadays, they let anyone use it... at designated times."

"Ah... so it's... not open," Yuri nodded. Anyway, it wasn't like everyone in the group wanted to skate.

"Well, _you_ could probably skate," Ariana laughed.

"Me? Why?" Yuri blinked.

"Yuri!" she shook her head. "You're a Ten Thousand Color sorcerer! I think you just have to use the palm reader at the gate. Your biometrics are registered with the International Sorcery Federation, right? So, it should unlock for you."

"Oh! But... oh, you all don't..." he hedged, his cheeks pink.

"Go, go," Raul prodded him, putting his hand on the small of Yuri's back to give him a push. "We'd _love_ to see you skate!"

Embarrassed, Yuri looked around. Mireli winked at him, and he felt better. He went to the gate, and sure enough, when he put his palm down, the door clicked open. He stepped inside, and then he went to the edge of the ice, tapping on it to make his skates. He left his glasses on the railing, and went onto the ice.

He felt a rush of something he didn't want to identify.

He made a few quick circuits, just to get a feel of the foreign ice. It was a beautiful rink with a nice view of the Palacio Real. Yuri could see why the rink was placed where it was. The royals of old probably sat in a grand room at the corner, the windows opened, and watched the colors the sorcerers made. Feeling like he was obligated, Yuri went to the center of the ice. He couldn't really think too clearly, so he just started the Eros spell he was working on with Victor. He was afraid, at first, that he'd be too out of practice to remember all the moves, but it all flowed right through him, basically. He downgraded a jump, just to feel comfortable. As he skated, he could hear Victor's voice giving him instructions. He chose to concentrate just on this moment, this ice with its grand history, and these moves that he was doing right at that moment. 

He thought of Victor's smile.

When he finished, he was panting. He really was out of practice... If Victor was even still in Hasetsu, he would be disappointed in Yuri when Yuri got back. He put his hands on his hips, and did a few turns.

And then he realized that there was applause.

People had gathered around the outside fence, and they were cheering and taking his picture. And. They were photographing the color that was already dispersing. Yuri was surprised, though. At home, during practice, the colors he made with this spell were always muted green and blues, with some purples. Today, the main color he'd made was bright red.

Feeling like a spectacle, Yuri got his glasses, tapped off his skates, and went back to the gate, hoping that they could leave the Plaza without much trouble.

Ariana's eyes were sparkling, but before anyone else could say anything, Mireli smiled at him kindly and said, "You must be famished. All this walking and now that... there's a place right across the street. It's pricey, but worth it."

Yuri smiled at her gratefully. "Sure."

The place in question had outdoor seating under a cream awning with red stripes near each edge. They put a few tables together so they could all sit in a big circle as they watched people walking around the Plaza before them. Yuri had Mireli on one side and Ariana on the other, and Francisco and Raul were across from him, with the others filling out the edges. It reminded Yuri nebulously of the dining area at Yu-topia, and he thought of the meals he had with Victor and Yurio at home. They ordered tapas dinner and three bottles of wine, and they ate as the sun started to set.

Yuri worked hard at sipping at his wine, but keeping the level high enough that no one _topped him off_. Other than that, he worked hard at trying every dish. Ariana fed him something on a slim slice of toasted bread that he couldn't even identify, but it was so good that he burst out, "Vkusno!"

She blinked at him and then grinned. "Did you learn some Russian when you studied ballet?"

"Ah... well, yeah, I did," he agreed, smiling brightly to cover his embarrassment.

Mireli smiled at him and he felt like she could see right through him.

"Just think," Ariana sighed, putting her head on Yuri's shoulder. "In just a week, we'll be on our way to Italy... and Yuri will probably be on his way home!" she lamented.

"Don't remind me," one of the men on the edge sighed. "I still have to finish all the costumes. Ah, Yuri, let's do another fitting on Tuesday, ok?" 

Yuri nodded.

"Did you injure your hand?" He pointed to Yuri's left hand. "That bandage will really stand out..."

"Ah!" Yuri flushed. "No, well..."

"Mm, maybe a fingerless glove?" Mireli suggested. "Something in creamy leather, perhaps."

"I think I've got something that'll work," he nodded.

Mireli winked at Yuri.

That woman could definitely see right through him.

They ordered desserts, and fortunately Yuri was able to order some coffee at the same time. By the time they were done, the stars and moon were brightly shining above them, and all the city lights were making the buildings and streets look completely different. Out at the curb, Ariana took Yuri's arm again. 

"Look, the rink is open to the public now! You want to just skate around like a normal schlub?" she teased him.

"Ah, it's late, we should let Yuri get his rest after all that walking and eating today," Francisco yawned. 

"Aw, you're just tired yourself, old man. Yuri can always spend the night at _my_ place if he wants to stay out later," she smiled at him, running her hands down his arm to take his left hand in hers.

Unconsciously, he pulled his hand away. "Ah... sorry, I am tired. Thank you, though. Thank you, all of you." He bowed to them.

Francisco dropped his hand on Yuri's head and ruffled his hair. "Don't be so polite to such ruffians! C'mon, I'm gonna order a cab." He got out his phone to open up the taxi app.

Ariana rolled her eyes. " _Such_ an old man. Well... see you tomorrow, then, Yuri." She winked at him. The group dispersed, everyone saying goodbye, but Mireli waited for their cab to show up. 

Worried, Yuri smiled at her nervously. "Ah... maybe we should drop you off at home first?" he tried to gently suggest.

She winked at him. "The night is still young. For me, at least. ...Yuri, what you skated this afternoon... that's your new spell, right?"

"Mm. Well, yes..." he shyly answered.

She nodded, and looked off in the direction of the rink. Francisco was busy on his phone, maybe texting Minako-sensei. "...Would you mind if I offered you some constructive criticism?" she asked quietly.

"Oh! ...No, of course not, I'd be very happy to hear your thoughts," he told her.

She smiled at him, looking him in the eye. "It's a story of seduction. But you danced it... sorry, skated it like you were in the role of a aggressor, the... the man who pins the object of his desire against a wall. The one who goes up to a stranger and suavely offers a pickup line. Your allure is much more a... _come hither_ type. You don't seek out your lover, you draw your lover _to_ you."

Yuri's eyes widened and his jaw went slack. He wasn't sure about what she was saying, and yet he felt like something clicked in his head. "Ah...!" he looked across to the rink. "I wonder if..."

"No, just think about it," she leaned in and kissed his cheek. "And get some rest. I think... it's good that you're getting a break." She smiled.

Yuri didn't even have time to wonder at her. Francisco tapped his shoulder. "Our ride is here. Mireli, are you sure...?"

"I'll be fine, Francisco. Have a good night, boys," she smirked, drawing her shawl around her arms closer.

"You, too, Mireli," Francisco winked at her.

Yuri and Francisco got in the cab, and Mireli waved as they sped off.

Yuri stared out at the scenery streaming by. _Come hither..._ he pondered. He didn't know if he really had _any_ allure, but. Somehow, he trusted Mireli. 

"Did you have fun today, Yuri?" Francisco asked him.

"Yeah. Thanks, Francisco," Yuri nodded, his thoughts still fixated on his Eros program.

And Victor.

"Good," Francisco ruffled his hair again, and Yuri endured it, feeling as if Francisco had somehow become a lot like Minako-sensei.

☽☾

Yuri found the tent intended to be used as a dressing room, and thankfully, it was empty. They'd just finished their first dress rehearsal with a crowd watching. Yuri guessed they were mostly reporters, sponsors, and other performers, but he hadn't realized there would be such a large audience for the rehearsal. His costume had only just been finished that afternoon!

He stood in front of the mirror, looking himself over from every angle he could manage. He had a bolero jacket and pants that were tight and made of a fabric intended to look like vinyl or leather, but there was no shirt. He felt silly, but despite the healthy cheers throughout the performance, he was beginning to have his doubts. Also, something just buzzing in the back of his head about the flamenco. Something about all of this was making him nervous. Also, Francisco gave him updates from Minako-sensei, but she never said anything that Yuri was really interested in, like...

What was Victor doing?

He sighed heavily while trying to look at how he looked from the back.

"Admiring your butt in those pants? I don't blame you. So often, the men wear such high-waisted pants during the flamenco. I'm so glad we're going with a more modern, loose interpretation. Your waist looks pretty sexy, too." Ariana licked her lips, staring right at Yuri's ass.

He turned bright red. "What? No! I wasn't...! I-I've only recently gotten back into shape after letting myself go for a while, I just. I wanted to be sure I didn't have any flabby rolls..." he tried to explain. What did she mean, his waist looked sexy? What about his waist was sexy? What was a sexy waist, anyway? Well, Victor's probably was, but...

"Oh, I doubt you'll find anything," Ariana laughed. "But if you like, I can do a thorough search for you." She wiggled her eyebrows and smirked.

Yuri stared at her.

She sat down in front of him and smirked. "The rehearsal went really well, don't you think? The crowd was really into it. I'm excited for tomorrow. I'm so glad that you're here, Yuri. You really saved us. If I had to dance with that pimply little idiot and pretend I was in love with him..." she fumed.

Yuri smiled sheepishly. "Well... I'm glad that I can help."

Ariana looked at him sharply. "Do you have any kind of rituals before a performance?"

"Rituals?" Yuri mused. His only _ritual_ might be something like _have a panic attack and binge junk food_ , but that hardly counted. "I don't really..."

"So do you have plans for tonight?" she asked him sharply. 

"Um, I don't know..." he shrugged. Francisco was busy with the final preparations, so maybe he'd be too busy to take Yuri home, but he said something about leaving the key in the mailbox so.

"I would really like to have sex with you," she stated simply.

He blinked, and tried to figure out what she meant by that. "Um..."

She laughed, and crossed her legs. "I figured... you were the type to be a little dense, so I should just state it clearly. But, I also thought you might be the type to be turned off by someone who was too aggressive, so I wanted to suggest it without any pressure. What do you say? How about a night of a hot, passionate sex followed by breakfast in bed and maybe some light snuggling?" she bit the nail of her pinkie finger, looking at Yuri intently.

"You're pretty good at reading people." Wait. She was serious. She really wanted to have sex with him. "I'm gay."

"I should have known, _all_ my best dance partners have been gay. Why is that? I've always wanted to have a hot, torrid affair with my dance partner. Doesn't that sound romantic? And sexy? I mean, I _know_ it's probably a really bad idea in general, but if there was ever a time for it, this would be it! You're only here for a short while, and we're only doing this performance together... Oh, well!" She stood up and straightened out her skirt. "Though, if you're interested, Salvatore has been salivating over you, too. You know, our lead guitarist? He's lost the rhythm sometimes because he's staring at your ass," she snickered.

This was more information than Yuri was prepared to deal with at the moment. "I... I'm involved with someone. Kind of. I think. Probably."

She looked at him and he continued to look at her. She smiled. "That sounds... like a complicated and interesting story. That I'd be happy to listen to, if you feel like talking about it."

She was being kind, and Yuri appreciated that. After a moment, when he hadn't said anything, she came close to him and kissed both of his cheeks. She winked at him, and said, "See you tomorrow, Yuri!"

"Goodnight, Ariana," he smiled at her. 

Once she was gone, Yuri changed out of his costume. He left on his fingerless glove, though. It was comfortable. And he'd had to take off his bandage to fit it on.

After changing, he left the dressing tent, and looked around. To get back to Francisco's...

"Yuri."

He turned and smiled at Mireli.

"Come and sit with me," she beckoned him.

He followed her obediently. She led him to where many of the artists had set up a bonfire, but she took him to a bench just past the bonfire, where they had some privacy. He sat down next to her. She was looking off into the distance, at the fire. He watched the fire, too, just waiting for her to speak.

"Why are you hiding your soulmark?"

"Eh?" he practically fell off the bench. He looked around desperately, and he balled his hand into a fist, and he felt the hair on the back of his neck raise. "Who said... how did... did Francisco say...?"

"No one's said a word. I doubt anyone else knows." She looked at his fist. "The way you put the tape on it... that was no injury. And, if you had some kind of birthmark or scar or some reason like that to cover it up, you'd have a better plan than just _tape_. So." She looked him in the eye.

It would have been impossible to not answer her. He looked down at his hand, slowly relaxing it to hold his palm up. He took a deep breath. "This... this will sound very, very stupid. But. This mark... it's only a few weeks old. And. 

"It's got to be a mistake," he said in a rush. He kept his head down, waiting for her to respond, but she was patiently waiting for him, so. His shoulders slumped. "I'm... I'm such a failure. And the whole world knows. My so-- so-- The person who shares this mark... he's... _spectacular_ , in every way. And the whole world loves him. As they _should_. It's like... like... an angel falling in love with a bug. It's impossible."

"You don't want to have a life with him?" she asked quietly.

Yuri shuddered, something like a laugh or a groan escaping from him. "If I really thought that I could..." he shook his head. 

"So. You want... to ignore it? Get rid of it, make it like it never happened?" He didn't know what to say. None of those things were even possible. "That's why you came to Spain? To escape from him?"

Yuri whimpered, and he balled his hand up into a fist again. "I can't. I don't know. I don't know if I knew what I was doing. I just. _Ran_. I didn't think," Yuri chuckled self-depreciatingly. "But it's useless. He kept trying to open up to me, get to know me, and I just. Shut him out and then ran away from him. He must be tired of it all by now. Maybe he even went home to Russia. He might be busy trying to forget all about me. But. But I. I can't stop thinking about _him_. I wonder what he's eating, he always enjoys his meals so much, it's really... cute. I never knew he had a cute side before. And. I wonder what he's doing, and how he's feeling. How _stupid_ I am. He was _there_ , he was with me _all_ the time, and he's... he's so impossibly _kind_ and wonderful. And I ran away... from a man like that. It's not really surprising that an idiot like me was unable to manifest at the Grand Prix Final. I don't even deserve to have a soulmate."

Hot tears spilled down off his cheeks. He felt so embarrassed and exposed, but Mireli was just listening, her arm on the back of the bench, letting him know that she was there, physically, without pressuring him. He let the tension burn through him with his tears, trusting her to let him cry unrestrained until he didn't have to anymore.

With deep, huffing breaths, he got himself under control, and he wiped his face clean.

And then she spoke.

"Every morning, when I wake up, I follow the ritual of my people. We get to our knees and we say a prayer of thanksgiving. It's a prayer for the sun and the day and for life, but also... and most importantly... it's thanksgiving for magic. I'm Roma. We are a traveling people. Our customs, our religion, we absorb things from everywhere we go, but our soul... our soul is Roma. The morning prayer is the first thing we do when we wake up. It's a tradition going back only about hundred or two hundred years. You see... for centuries, Yuri, the Roma were a Hated People. No matter where we traveled, the people would target us, hunt us, even. You know, the first sorcerer to produce a spectacular manifestation in Europe was a Roma girl, about nineteen, I think. She was connected to the earth, and she did a spell that would, today, be considered Parkour. She made fireworks appear in the sky outside of Milan. The townspeople tracked her down, threw her in jail accusing her of being a demon, and ultimately stoned her to death. Many other of her people were hunted down at the same time, for being with the 'devil-woman.' That was how we were treated, Yuri. That was the burden of being Roma."

He stared at her. He'd never knew things like that happened.

She looked at him sidelong and smiled. "It sounds like I know her, right? It's been over a hundred years since we've been oppressed, but the soul of a Roma lives on forever with all Roma." She winked at him. "Yuri... a Five Hundred or One Thousand Color sorcerer can use their magic and their hands and... make a small chip that can be put in an earplug, and let people communicate in a language they've never learned," she tugged on his ear for emphasis. "Or can perform surgery and remove a cancerous tumor completely without shedding a drop of blood. But. A Ten Thousand Color Sorcerer... Yuri, you actually _create_ **love** and _happiness_. Because of Ten Thousand Color sorcerers, people can live with each other more easily. Because of Ten Thousand Color sorcerers, when conflicts arise, people are more willing to _talk_ and _listen_ to each other. Because there are Ten Thousand Color sorcerers, people don't hate each other for the color of their skin or their religion or their culture. It's been over a century since there's been war anywhere in the world. It's all because of Ten Thousand Color sorcerers, and festivals. _Every_ time you've produced color, even a small amount, even if no one sees it... the love and happiness you create is in the world. They become a _part_ of the world. Every time you make even a tiny bit of color, Yuri, the world is a better place for it. That's easy to forget in these peaceful times, but _we've_ never forgotten. You shouldn't either.

"You're not a bug in love with an angel. You're both _men_. You're both sorcerers, making the world a better, happier, _safer_ place. And, if you marked each other... that means your bodies reacted to how completely in sync you were, right down to your souls. There are no guarantees in life, but... I'd be willing to bet that it would be worth the risk to trust him." Her smile was so kind and reassuring.

He didn't have to exert any effort to smile back. Her words were still thundering inside of him, so he wasn't sure how to respond. "Th-thank you, Mireli."

She leaned in and kissed his temple in a very motherly fashion. He felt embarrassed, but in a good way. She ruffled his hair, and took a deep breath. "You're here now. I think, ultimately, this can be good for you. Try to just enjoy the experience, and decide what you can take from this all back home with you. ...I hate to be pushy, but can I see your mark? My grandmother used to 'read' marks for people." She shrugged half-heartedly. "I think it was just another way she could give her friends and family advice they would listen to, but."

He smiled, and then he looked down at his hand. "Ah..." With clumsy fingers, he undid the snaps on his fingerless glove, and pulled it off. He barely had ever looked at this himself. No one else had seen it. 

Not even Victor.

He held out his hand shakily. She cradled his hand in hers, and gently ran her thumb along the heel of his palm. 

"Mm. There are different lines of symmetry here. _Puri daj_ would have said that was a good sign, it meant there was more than one axis for the two of you to fall back on. It's a big, encompassing pattern. That means that this love will engulf your life. It will be quite a passionate love affair, then," she winked at him. "It's an intricate pattern, too. That indicates complexity. As they say, nothing worth having comes easy," she laughed. "What do you see when you look at it, Yuri?"

He swallowed hard. He thought he might start crying again. "I... I... This is the longest that I've looked at it, honestly," he tried to laugh.

"And?" she prodded gently. "What do you see?"

He felt his throat go dry, trying to think of what to say. He closed his hand into a fist unconsciously, and then, feeling ashamed, he closed his eyes.

She gently smoothed his hair down. "It's ok," she told him quietly. "Take your time. It's not going anywhere. Live in the moment, Yuri." She patted his head, and then she stood up. "Let's join the bonfire. They have wine and food," she winked at him.

He stuffed his hand back into the fingerless glove, and he stood up. He felt shaky, but.

"Ok."

☽☾

Yuri stepped away from the party to get some fresh air out on the patio. Francisco had a friend who owned a bar who let them take over for a post-festival party. It was really more like the after-festival festival, though. There was music and dancing and everyone was having fun. Yuri was, too, but he was beginning to feel like he was going to overheat. He'd been drinking sangria, which wasn't supposed to be too hard, but he didn't want to drink anymore. He knew how he could get when he was drunk.

He rubbed his left palm. The festival was over now. 

"Yuri?"

He started, and then he smiled at Ariana. "Ah, yeah..." he straightened up.

"I wanted to introduce you, since you never had a chance to meet. Yuri, this is Diego. He was our lead dancer, until he sprained his ankle like a moron. Diego, this is Yuri, who is a far better dancer than you but won't be taking your place only because he's a Ten Thousand Color sorcerer so he doesn't have time for us," she sighed.

Diego grinned, and reached out to shake Yuri's hand. Clumsily, Yuri shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Yuri. Ariana's been singing your praises for over a week now. I'm a big fan, _really_ looking forward to next season," he smiled brightly.

He was good looking and easygoing, and for no good reason he could think of, Yuri thought he was basically like a Spanish Victor. He didn't even have silver hair. "Ah, um, thank you, s-sorry about your ankle."

"It's not so bad, it's just bad timing," Diego blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Though, to Ariana, it's been the end of the world."

"Well, can you _blame_ me? If it weren't for Yuri, they would have had me dance with that spindly moron!" she pouted once again over her near-bad luck. 

"He's not that bad," Diego grinned. "He's just... new. It's your own fault none of the other dancers would take my place. You're far too critical!"

"Che, they're all just babies! God only knows what I'll do in Italy next week! Are you sure you won't be better by then?" she asked.

Diego shrugged. "I told you and Mireli what the doctor told me. What can I do about it?"

"Italy?" Yuri asked.

"Oh!" Ariana looked at Yuri, and then at Diego. Diego shrugged at her. "Um... Mireli will get mad at me for mentioning it to you, but... we're supposed to do the same dance in a festival in Italy next week. It's really annoying because I have this rich, bitchy friend who is going to be there to judge me." She rolled her eyes. "But! I mean, I'm sure we'll work something out."

Yuri looked from Ariana to Diego. He'd vaguely heard about their future plans before this, but he'd always had the impression everyone thought the lead dancer would be back before they would next be performing. Now that he wasn't going to be... They... weren't supposed to talk to him about it? Mireli didn't want him to go?

"I think everyone in the troupe just feels guilty for taking you away from your training, Yuri," Diego assured him, but it made Yuri feel worse, like he was transparent. They knew he'd be worried that he hadn't been good enough because he was right...?

"Personally, I wish Mireli _would_ invite you to Italy. I'd love to keep dancing with you for a while." Ariana put her arms around Yuri's neck and hugged him. Yuri never knew what to do in these situations. People in Japan just weren't as handsy as people in Europe or America were. 

He never minded when Victor was handsy with him... wait, that wasn't true. He didn't know how to handle that, either, but for very different reasons.

She pulled back and winked at him. "Even I'm not selfish enough to ask you to sacrifice more of your training... but... _you_ know best what your schedule is like..."

"Ariana!" Diego scolded her. She made a cute face at him, not at all repentant. Diego shook his head. "Yuri, can we get you a drink?"

"No, I'm... thanks, I'm fine. I just... needed to cool off." He smiled weakly at Diego. "I'll go back in a minute."

"Get me a drink, Diego! I don't want to be sober anymore!" Ariana tugged on Diego's arm.

"You're a scary drunk, though," he sighed, winking at Yuri as he led Ariana back into the bar.

Yuri took a deep breath, and then he sat down, looking at his left palm, covered by the fingerless glove. 

If he was being rational about it, he knew that Francisco probably told Mireli that Yuri had to go back home. And... Yuri and Mireli had talked about Yuri running away, too. Going home now... was the right thing to do? He'd been so focused on the dance all week, he hadn't thought about going home. What would he say to Victor when he finally saw him again? Would Victor even be in Hasetsu still? Maybe he'd be back in St. Petersburg. Should he try to find out? And then... if Victor had gone back to his home...

Should Yuri go after him?

Yuri noticed his field of vision narrowing before he noticed how shallow his breathing was getting. This was bad. He had to stop this now, before he fully went into a panic attack. He had to stop this. How?

Should he go for a run?

No, that was crazy. That was how he ended up in Spain. He had to be less crazy for Victor. Who probably had left him and didn't want to see him again anyway. He had to... had to...

"Just breathe."

Mireli gently rubbed Yuri's back in a wide, comforting circle. At regular intervals, she repeated her quiet suggestion.

"Just breathe."

Feeling ashamed but more clear headed, Yuri straightened up and smiled at Mireli. "S-sorry, I was..."

"Don't apologize," she smiled serenely. "You were thinking about your soulmate."

Yuri's eyes widened.

"...You're not ready to go home yet, are you?" she asked gently.

"I-I'm... I'm scared," he admitted.

"What are you afraid of?" she asked.

"That... that he left. That he... doesn't want to deal with me. That I ruined it," he smiled sheepishly.

"You could find that out by calling home. Francisco would let you use his phone," she told him. "Are you afraid to even ask?"

"I... I'm such a coward, huh?" he shook his head.

"No," she said firmly. He looked at her, but she seemed _so sure_. "It's the one downside to a soulmark. It... _heightens_ everything. Beginning a relationship can be a stressful, uncertain time even _without_ the pressure of being _soulmates_. ...If you're not ready to ask the question, then maybe you just need a little more time? Yuri. Would you like to come to Italy with us?"

"Oh! No, I mean... You don't have to feel..." Yuri flushed.

"You _are_ aware of how successful you were today, right? Everyone in there is so excited because that was the best performance we've ever put on. The party will last until dawn if we go back in and announce you're coming to Italy with us. On our end, it's a pure win. But this isn't about the dance troupe or the festival or anything else. This is about _you_. Do you want to go home? If not... what do you want to do?"

He looked into her clear, calm eyes, and he took a deep breath. He thought about it. Going home now... he felt like it was the right thing to do, but at the same time... Had anything changed since he left Hasetsu? Was he any closer to accepting this... situation with Victor? Maybe. But.

He still didn't know what to say or do about it, and. 

He still didn't feel good enough.

More running wouldn't make things any better, but maybe if he used the time to be more honest with himself...

"I... I think I would like to go to Italy. I-If that's all right with you," Yuri asked timidly.

Mireli smiled, patting him on the back. She stood up and kissed the top of his head. Holding a hand out to him, she grinned. 

"Well. Let's give everyone the good news."

☽☾

Ariana paused in eating her lunch to look out to where Yuri was dancing in the meadow. Mireli noticed her watching him, but she waited for Ariana to speak.

"It's really ok, isn't it?" Ariana asked quietly.

Diego and Raul looked to Mireli for her answer. They were the only ones close enough to hear. A third of the troupe was off playing their instruments and goofing off, and a third were already snoozing after eating.

"Why do you ask?" Mireli answered calmly, continuing with her lunch.

Ariana looked troubled. She looked at Yuri again. "I know I shouldn't have said anything. It was selfish... I'm really sorry. It's not... not going to _hurt_ him, is it? I mean. He's still working on his spell."

"Mm," Mireli put down her dish, and brushed her skirt off. This was a nice place for a picnic. A nice place for a snooze, too! It was sunny and warm and it felt like the whole world was this meadow, the sky, and them. "What do you see when you watch him?"

"What?" Ariana furrowed her brow. "You mean now? He looks... focused. Determined. But. He can't _really_ make a spell like this, can he?"

"What kind of spell do you think it will be?" Mireli asked.

"I... I don't know," Ariana shrugged. "When he skated it, the colors he made... were so beautiful. I've never seen anything so beautiful."

"It's a love spell. He's thinking of his lover," Raul nodded.

"He said he had someone. Kind of. He didn't elaborate. I presume _you_ know," Ariana looked pointedly at Mireli. "But if he's in a relationship, why did he come to Spain on the spur of the moment? Why did he agree to come with us to Italy? He should have gone back home to his lover..." she pondered.

"It's a spell of seduction," Diego suggested. "It's about an uncertain beginning, full of passion but without the promise of the future." 

"Maybe the reason he said he was with someone _kind of_ was because... they're not yet lovers. And he's not sure what they _are_ ," Raul pondered.

"You're making wishes for your dick," Ariana complained, kicking him. Raul grinned at her, and she just rolled her eyes.

Mireli smiled absently, and stood up. She looked at Yuri. He did a lovely jeté, and then came to a stop, pondering his movements. He moved his arms around his body thoughtfully. "He left home because he had some things to figure out. When we first met him, he wasn't really thinking. He was just acting, or reacting. Now, he's settled down, he can think. He can ponder, meditate. He needs this time to work things out in his heart, in his mind. A Ten Thousand Color spell isn't just a set of motions to create an effect. It's the result of the heart, mind, body, and soul all working in congress. He was out of balance. He had to find his way back to his center. We'll give him the time he needs." She nodded, and then smiled at the three who were sitting at her feet.

Like children.

She drew her shawl up to her shoulders and wrapped it tighter around herself. She wandered off to find a place to nap, but she kept her eyes on Yuri.

It would have been hard to look away.

☽☾

Yuri couldn't catch his breath. He made his way back to where they were supposed to change. This festival wasn't anything like the one Francisco had arranged. That one had been much more casual, like the festivals Yuri participated in when he was young, where shops and artists got together to have a fun weekend and drum up some business. _This_ festival apparently had been celebrated every year for centuries, and there were artists from all over Europe, maybe even the world. The streets were packed from building to building with people, and there were dozens of shows going on at any given moment.

It felt like thousands of people had come to watch their dance this time. Yuri felt embarrassed to be performing without a shirt for some reason. Now that it was over, his body was covered in sweat and he felt trapped by the crowds. 

He should... find out about getting to an airport, probably. He really wasn't in the mood to be surrounded by a sea of people now that their dance was over. He wasn't sure what the troupe's plan was, but. He should.

He should face Victor, finally. Right?

" _Well_ , so _there_ he is. Ariana said he was a Ten Thousand Color Sorcerer, right? He doesn't _look_ familiar to me. Does he to you, Luca?"

Yuri blinked. A young woman and man were standing near him, both looking very fashionable and well-off. The young woman had lush, shiny hair that was styled like a mane, and she wore a jeweled comb over one ear. She was looking at Yuri like she was considering buying him to use on weekends.

"Giada, you're being rude, as usual," the young man replied, but he didn't seem upset with her, more like amused.

Yuri looked around to be sure she was talking about _him_.

" _Adorable_. You're not a dancer, I saw a bit of color, but not enough if your element was air." 

Yuri blinked. She was, most certainly and undesirably, talking to him.

"I'm a figure skater," Yuri answered quietly.

"Mm, sexy," she licked her lips, coming closer to him. Too close. She toyed with the lapel of his bolero jacket with her perfectly manicured nails which gave Yuri the uncomfortable impression of claws. "Well, I'm Giada, and this is my brother Luca, and we're basically friends with Ariana. Our family has an estate just outside of town, you absolutely _must_ come to spend the weekend."

"I-I really don't think..."

"You really shouldn't, either, thinking is bad for the pores," she told him seriously. "No, I truly meant that, you absolutely _must_ come with us, mustn't he Luca? You see, whenever we meet a sorcerer, we absolutely _have_ to have them come out and and relax at the estate. We just _love_ hosting sorcerers. Of course, we'll invite your whole troupe, that's fine, but _you_ must come. We'll be having other guests, too, right, Luca? There are dancers from the Bolshoi ballet staying, and this lovely girl who can spit fire, she's a delight."

"You have to come, Yuri," Luca grinned. "If you don't, Giada will be in a bad mood _all_ weekend, and she'll take it out on me. I'll have no peace at all if you don't come, and I'll think badly of you because of it."

"That's true, I'll be a complete bitch and wake him up just twenty minutes after he falls asleep all weekend long, just because of you. You wouldn't do that to Luca, would you?" she batted her eyelashes at him. She had her arm around his shoulders now. She smelled like jasmine and lavender and a hint of vanilla. 

Yuri didn't need to know that.

"Giada!" Ariana, breathless, rushed in. "I told you, you can't be back here!"

"Don't be ridiculous," Giada dismissed Ariana. She cuddled up to Yuri and smirked at Ariana. "I was just telling Yuri how your troupe will be coming to spend the weekend at our estate."

"No," Ariana shook her head defiantly, giving Yuri an apologetic look. "No, that's impossible, Yuri is only here as a favor to us, but he's really got to get back home and..."

"He can wait until Monday!" Giada laughed. "Oh, I haven't even told Yuri the _most_ enticing part." She smirked at Yuri, but he couldn't shrink away from her because she had a death grip on him. "You will definitely _want_ to come, because... we have a rink on the estate."

His eyes widened, despite himself. "You... have a rink?" he asked, incredulous. "Just how big is this estate?"

"Oh, it's not as big as all _that_ ," she laughed, from which he surmised that her estate was quite huge. 

"One of our ancestors was a sorcerer. He built it. He was quite eccentric," Luca told him.

"They say he could only make color when he was alone, which is hard to believe, but that's why he made the rink out practically in the woods," Giada laughed.

Yuri's eyes widened and his jaw went slack. He felt his heart pounding.

"Whenever we can, we have a sorcerer come to skate on it, so you know, the ice can stay in good condition. That's why you'll _want_ to come. Right? You want to see our rink?" Giada winked at Luca. "I've never met a _true_ figure skater who didn't want to see it. It's practically one of the Wonders of the World," she shrugged.

"I want to see it," Yuri said, determined. He looked at Ariana, hoping she would understand. She looked resigned.

"We'll all come with you. _We'll_ bring Yuri," Ariana declared.

"Oh, are the two of you...?" Giada waved a finger between Yuri and Ariana. 

"That's not it," Ariana sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. 

"Of course not," Giada laughed, and it wasn't kind of her.

"Hurry up and come, Yuri," Luca urged, tugging on the hem of Yuri's jacket. He was looking over Yuri desperately. "We want to see you skate."

Yuri knew this was a bad idea, but he wanted to see it.

The rink made by a skater like him.

☽☾

The estate was exactly as Yuri imagined it would be. Huge, old, filled with antiques and heirlooms, and intimidating as all hell. Mireli had passed on joining them. She met up with a relative of hers, and was going to spend the weekend with him and his group. Ariana and Raul were sticking close to Yuri, but as soon as they were escorted out to the patio to join Giada and Luca, he knew what would happen.

"Oh, _finally_ , I've been _so_ bored," Giada put down her drink and went to Yuri, throwing her arms around him.

Yup. Exactly as expected. 

She pulled back, beaming. "You look so different with your hair down! I'm not sure which I like better..." She dug her fingers into his hair, pushing it back. "Ooh, your hair is so lovely and thick!"

"Giada, control yourself," Luca laughed, but Yuri felt like he was enjoying how uncomfortable Yuri was.

"Nothing good ever came from self-restraint," she winked at her brother. She took Yuri's hand, and pulled him along. "Anyway, let me introduce you to some people. And then I know you want to see the rink."

"Wait, let's have a drink first," Luca complained, draining his goblet.

"Try and keep up!" Giada sang out.

Yuri really had a hard time dealing with people who drew everyone around them along with their flow.

Giada also never took a breath. She was talking about how boring the festival was that year, except for maybe Yuri's dance and a couple of others, and how last year, she had a boyfriend and it had been more fun, and she couldn't fully enjoy it because of her boyfriend, and this year she was free, but it was less fun. Yuri thought she was being rude to everyone who had participated in the festival, especially the dance troupe Yuri was with, just calling it _Yuri's dance_ as if he had been alone on the stage.

Was seeing their private rink really worth all this?

"Oh, here, Vaslav is only a Five Thousand Color sorcerer, but that's the next best thing to you, let me introduce you..." Giada pushed Yuri to head to a group drinking on the grass. Probably, they intended to do some stargazing once it got dark enough. The moon was already bright in the sky. "Vaslav, here he is, the figure skater I was telling you about," Giada ignored everyone in the group except a man a little older than Yuri with striking gold hair. "Yuri, this is Vaslav, he's with the Bolshoi, he used to be the lead male dancer when he was younger. Vaslav, this is Katsuki Yuri. I still have no idea who he is, but he can do one hell of a sexy flamenco."

Yuri turned bright red. Did this woman even hear herself??!

"Giada, that's really disrespectful," Ariana complained. "Yuri made it to the Grand Prix Final last year!"

Yuri's eyes widened, and panicked, he turned to Ariana and tried to wave her off, to shut her up. He would _vastly_ prefer to be considered _forgettable_ than to have this arrogant woman and her impressive friends remember his devastating failure at the Final!

"I know the name Katsuki Yuri," Vaslav said, and Yuri's heart dropped. He looked at the other man, who had gotten up to greet him. "Everyone in Russia was talking about him earlier this year. He's the Japanese skater Our _Hero_ Victor Nikiforov threw it all away to go and coach, or something."

"Ooh! You know Victor, Yuri?" Giada looked at Yuri happily.

"I... well... yes, that is..." Yuri was unable to form words. He looked around for help, but he didn't have much chance.

"I'd love to see Victor skate in person," Giada sighed. "Vaslav, you used to date Victor, right? Oh, but that was back when you were _young_ , like a million years ago. Do you even still keep in contact with him?"

Yuri felt his stomach drop and his blood run cold. Bolshoi Ballet, lead male dancer, Vaslav... this was Vaslav Nikolaev, then! Yuri remembered seeing gossip about Vaslav and Victor, back when Victor was in his second year as a senior. He generally never paid too much attention to the rumors about Victor's love life, since there were too many young stars who tried to get their name out there just by being associated with Victor, but he could vaguely remember some photo of Victor with Vaslav where they had been caught kissing at some public function. He _desperately_ tried to remind himself that those pictures were from _nine_ years ago, and Yuri had only been fourteen at the time, and there was no reason to feel jealous or threatened. 

Forget that, he was the one who had run away from Victor. He had no claim to him, no matter what the mark on his hand said. Yuri balled up his left hand into a fist, and tried to empty his mind, but he felt sick. Absolutely sick.

This man knew what it was like to kiss and hold Victor, and who knew what else they'd done together? And Yuri would never know, because he'd been a coward who had run away.

"I never even think about Vitya anymore," Vaslav rolled his eyes, but then he'd been the one to bring Victor up, so... "But is Yuri going to skate for us, then? I'd like to see what the great and wonderful Victor Nikiforov saw that got him so excited."

"It's already pretty late, and we were performing earlier. Yuri probably wants to just relax tonight," Raul spoke up.

"Yuri hasn't even seen the rink yet," Luca smirked at Raul, slipping in to Yuri's other side. He put his arm around Yuri's shoulders. Now, Yuri was surrounded by these two. "Let's go and see it at least. Right, Yuri?"

"Uh... thanks, I would like to see it..." Yuri swallowed hard. 

"We still have a ways to go. See that copse of trees? It's right near there," Giada pointed, and Yuri thought he might see the ice. 

They made their way over, a larger group now that Vaslav and some of the ballet troupe were with them. Giada kept blathering on about it. "So, like we said earlier, our ancestor made this himself. They said he could only make color when he had no audience. People used to sit on the patio, or on the balcony, and just watch the colors rise up into the sky. It's hard to believe it's true, but we have sorcerers come and skate regularly to keep the rink in good shape. Lately, mother and father have only been calling on those loathsome Crispinos. I can't stand them! That Michele is just a creeper, and Sara thinks she's the cutest thing ever! Those two will give Italian siblings a bad name the world around!"

"I'm pretty sure everyone in the world knows it's just them," Yuri offered, smiling. Sara and Mickey were, indeed... interesting. Sara liked to chat up skaters, maybe just to get her brother jealous, Yuri was never sure. He wasn't on good terms with them.

" _That's_ good. They came about a month, two months ago? I don't know when. Luca and I went to the south of France for the weekend to avoid them. It's been so long since I've seen _good_ figure skating. Show us something nice, Yuri!" Giada begged him.

"Don't put any pressure on him, Giada," Luca laughed. "If you scare him off, we can't have him come out to visit us, and we'll be stuck with the Joined-at-the-Hip-Twins."

Despite himself, Yuri smirked at that, which he saw Luca noticing.

They were now close enough to see the rink, and Yuri stopped dead, his eyes as wide as they could be. "It's... it's _beautiful_..." 

The rink wasn't just _close_ to the woods. One side was right inside the woods, and there were a few trees on the near side, too. It was like the rink itself was _part of_ the woods. This impression was strengthened by the railing around rink. It was all beautifully carved wood that had the effect of looking like it had grown straight up out of the dirt. There was one opening with no gate, and the ice was perfectly flat, something impressive for a rink that wasn't used regularly. Yuri rushed the edge, putting his hands on the railing. 

"This is so nice!"

"There's no doubt he's a figure skater now," Giada winked at Luca. "Only figure skaters get _this_ excited by our little rink."

"Will you skate?" Luca asked Yuri, his voice low and smooth.

Yuri could only grin at him in reply. He made his way to the gate, going past Vaslav, who, Yuri noticed, checked Yuri out as he went. No, Yuri wasn't going to think about him, especially not him and Victor, back when they were young and Victor had long hair... 

No.

He gave his glasses to Ariana and winked at her and Raul as he entered the rink, tapping on his skates. He started out just doing circuits, feeling the night air and the ice. "This really is beautiful!" he called out.

"I'm so happy you like it, Yuri! You're welcome to come and skate _any_ time you like!" Giada called out.

Yuri felt embarrassed, like she and her brother were hitting on him or something. But, it didn't matter. Right now, he had the ice.

It was like finally getting home.

He changed edge, and did a figure eight. He turned on his toe pick, and then brought himself to center ice. He hadn't done this since that evening in Madrid. He should use this chance to practice.

And to show Giada and Luca that their ancestor wasn't a fraud.

He closed his eyes, and got into the pose to start the spell that Victor made for him. That was right, Victor made him a spell. He had _some_ connection to Victor. It wasn't all about some mark on his hand. He opened his eyes, and he began. Giada whistled when he did the opening arm movements, but Yuri was getting into character. _Come hither_ , he thought. As soon as his skates moved on the ice, he was immersed.

This was the spell Victor wanted him to skate.

He heard someone gasp, and he was aware of some color as he went through his step sequence. He saw more color as he did the twizzles. He did the spread eagle into a triple axel, and bright colors surrounded him, spreading out. Now, he was getting up to speed. The air had the feeling of being out in nature, the stars were above him, the moon was bright. In his heart, he was close to Victor, dancing for him and making magic that would make Victor smile. 

Thinking of Victor's smile, he landed his quad Salchow without even realizing it. 

When he came to the end of the spell, he took a few deep breaths, his head tipped back. Reds, greens, and deep purple puffs were floating up into the trees. He smiled. "I wish I had my phone..." he mused.

"Yuri, that was _amazing!_ " Giada called out. "Oh, we should have recorded it! Maybe you can do it again tomorrow, we'll be all set up! Oh, I've never seen anything so beautiful!" She started clapping and cheering just like a child and, absurdly, it made Yuri think of Yu-chan.

He relaxed his body, smiling shyly at everyone who was watching and cheering. He glided toward them, embarrassed. "Well. You see, your ancestor knew what he was doing... It feels so good skating surrounded by trees like this."

"It must have! You were so beautiful!" Giada beamed.

"Gorgeous," Vaslav said under his breath as Yuri went past him. Yuri caught his eye and it sent shivers down Yuri's spine for some reason. But, he didn't want to think about him. He stopped in front of Giada and Luca. Luca's eyes were drinking Yuri in, and Yuri started to think that maybe he really was into Yuri. Some people were turned on by sorcerers.

Giada grabbed a hold of Yuri, and hugged him hard. "I'm so glad you came here!" she gushed.

"Me, too," Yuri admitted, feeling nervous. "...Oh, you shouldn't be so close! I must be covered in sweat!" 

"Who cares!" Giada laughed, squeezing him tighter. "Girls who are afraid of getting sweat on their body never have any fun," she purred.

Yuri was pretty sure that was a sexual reference.

"Yuri should take a break, have something to drink," Ariana suggested. He smiled at her.

"That's a great idea, and we have champagne," Vaslav grinned, licking his lip.

"That's not what I meant..." Ariana started.

"It's an afterparty, isn't it? And after _that_... we should definitely be celebrating," Vaslav declared. 

Everyone else seemed to agree. Yuri made his way to the gate. Raul was there, looking concerned. 

"If you want to slip away, just give me a high sign, we'll get you out," he told Yuri.

Yuri smiled at him, but Giada grabbed his arm and pulled him ahead. Yuri felt lightheaded already. Actually, hadn't it been a long time since he'd eaten? He had some vague sense of concern, but someone put a glass in his hand, and started to pour. He only let them give him half a glass. They started back to the house, and people were coming out to meet them, wanting to know about the colors. Who was the sorcerer? How did that happen? There were cheers and he was getting slapped on the back and congratulated.

It felt like it had been a long time since Yuri had inspired this sort of reaction.

Twenty minutes later, Yuri had an empty glass and he started to think of looking for Raul. Since his colors, the party had gotten a lot rowdier. Musicians had gotten out their instruments, people were dancing and singing and talking and laughing, and, most of all, everyone was drinking. Yuri was aware of his empty stomach and sweaty body. He turned to look around for people he knew, and an arm came around his waist.

Someone was purring into his ear, "Vitya always did have a taste for the finest things in life. Drink up," Vaslav filled Yuri's glass until champagne poured over Yuri's fingers. "Champagne made by Five Hundred Color sorcerers. Nothing finer in the world. While these rich idiots are paying for it, enjoy it to the last drop."

"Ah!" Yuri tried to pull away, but Vaslav just tightened his grip on Yuri's waist. "No, thanks, I..."

"It's not hard to see why Vitya would turn his back on his country and the world to pursue you," Vaslav licked his lips. "So, how is the Ultimate Diva? Did he rush off on his latest whim already, is that why you came out here to dance in some backcountry party?"

Yuri furrowed his brow. "N-no, I mean, I think you have the wrong idea... I... need to get some water."

"Drink this," Vaslav raised Yuri's glass to his lips, and some of it spilled, so Yuri had no choice but to drink. 

"I've never seen a more beautiful spell," Vaslav grinned. "Even if it wasn't a huge manifestation, there was passion, there was a _story_." He put his finger on Yuri's bottom lip, and he pressed down before pulling his finger back and licking it. Yuri felt his heart sink and his skin go cold. "You're extremely alluring, Yuri. I was seduced."

"Uh, that's not," Yuri swallowed hard. He looked around, hoping to catch Raul's eye, or anyone, anyone from the troupe. 

Vaslav took Yuri's chin between his fingers and turned Yuri back to look at him. "For you to create such colors with a spell like that... you're not as innocent as you look."

"Victor choreographed it for me," Yuri said, feeling stupid. 

A flash of annoyance crossed Vaslav's face. "Well, Vitya's not a Diva for nothing. But, you're here now. With me."

Ok, _that_ was bad. Yuri moved to get out from Vaslav's grip. "I... I really need to... wash up, and... get some sleep, I'm tired."

"That's fine," Vaslav grinned. "I'll show you to a bed."

"No, that's not..." Yuri started, but Vaslav pushed his flute back up to his lips. Yuri took another gulp of champagne, coughing after it went down too hard. 

"Here, let me be your escort," Vaslav guided Yuri toward the house, but he avoided the patio, where the doors to the house were open and the lights were on inside. Instead, he took Yuri to a room on the edge of the house. There was a walkway there that led to the garden on the east end of the property, and a door to what must be a study or a library, Yuri really wasn't sure because it was dark and he wasn't familiar with these types of huge European houses. In the light from the moon, Yuri could see a large chaise with a beautiful throw over it, an overstuffed couch, some sort of object d'art between them, and a beautiful mirror that went nearly to the high ceiling attached to a narrow shelf-like thing that displayed a gorgeous vase. He had a feeling that they weren't supposed to be in this part of the house. "Ah... rich people are so annoying, aren't they? At least it's quiet here. That's what you wanted, right?" Vaslav came right up behind him and kissed the back of Yuri's neck.

"No!" Yuri pulled away, stumbling over the thick, antique rug that was haphazardly thrown on the floor. Vaslav grabbed his arm to steady him, but then he didn't let go. "Look, there's been a misunderstanding. I'm sorry, but I'm not really looking for... for..." he didn't know what this was. Sex? That seemed both presumptuous and scary.

"Happening onto something you weren't expecting is one of the joys of life," Vaslav ran his hands over Yuri's body, over his ass. "Do you dislike me? Am I not your type?"

"That's... not... I'm not... I'm involved with someone," Yuri tried to explain. Wait, why did he have to explain? Hadn't he been saying nothing but _no_ since this all began? He just wanted to get away from this man. He pulled back, and nearly knocked over the expensive vase on the mirror shelf thing.

"With who? Where are they?" Vaslav pressed forward.

Yuri was getting annoyed. Why did he have to answer? He looked away. There was no chance someone from the party would hear or see them. He needed to find the door, get out...

"Don't tell me you're going to say _Vitya_ ," Vaslav laughed.

He _laughed_.

Yuri froze. He could hear his own heart beating and feel each breath as it went in and out.

"Oh, Yuri... I agree, that man is... _many_ things, he's exciting and he's fun, but he's also... unpredictable." That was true, and it was a good thing. "And insensitive." ...Well, that was also somewhat true. "And _selfish_." Yuri looked at Vaslav, hurt. That wasn't true... "He does whatever he pleases and he doesn't care what anyone else wants." Yuri opened his mouth to protest. That wasn't Victor at all! Well, ok, Victor had moved into his room, but that was only because of the stupid mark on their hands made him think weird things. It _was_ a soulmark, after all, so maybe it wasn't so stupid. It was Vaslav who kept pushing Yuri even though Yuri kept saying no. He wanted to protest, but his throat felt tight. It was hard to speak, and then Vaslav continued. He put his hands on Yuri's face, and looked right into Yuri's eyes, making Yuri feel cold right down to his toes. "You can't pin your happiness on Vitya, Yuri. He'll take it away with him when he leaves you."

Yuri's eyes widened.

Vaslav moved in and kissed Yuri, and Yuri was in too much shock to fight back. Vaslav's tongue entered his mouth, and he couldn't do anything. Vaslav pushed Yuri back, and his hands were moving down Yuri's neck. Yuri became aware that he was going to be pinned against the wall. Yuri wasn't weak, but then, neither was Vaslav. 

Yuri became terrified.

He pivoted, pushing Vaslav away as best he could. "Stop it!" Yuri cried out, closing his eyes. He just... wanted to get away. He didn't want to be alone with this person. He wanted to be saved. "Victor...!" he exhaled, like it was a prayer.

"Why are you calling for _him?_ **I'm** the one here with you!" Vaslav's voice completely changed. Yuri opened his eyes to look at Vaslav, and he'd never seen anyone who looked so _angry_ before. 

And then Vaslav struck him.

The back of Vaslav's hand hit the side of Yuri's face. 

It was startling. In his whole life, no one had ever hit Yuri before. He couldn't even begin to process it before his face was smashed into the mirror from the force of the blow. Everything went crystal-white with pain.

"Ow!"

Yuri's cry startled Vaslav enough that he staggered back. It was like someone had dumped a bucket of cold water on him. "Ah... I didn't...Yuri, I'm..."

Yuri pulled back. The mirror was cracked. Also, a crashing sound with the blow wasn't just his imagination, the vase was smashed to bits on the floor. Yuri probably couldn't afford to replace them. Wait, it was Vaslav who should replace them, Yuri didn't want to get hit. 

There was something wet on his face.

"Yuri, oh my god, I'm so sorry, let me..." Vaslav put his hand on Yuri's back, and Yuri exploded with anger.

"Don't touch me!" he shoved Vaslav as hard as he could, putting his two hands together on Vaslav's solar plexus, sending him reeling backward toward the door they came in. "Just stay away from me! Is that clear enough?" Yuri turned and stomped off in the opposite direction, crunching some of the vase pieces as he went.

There was a door, and there had to be, and the hallway outside it was dark, but there was light at the one end, so Yuri headed that way. 

Things occurred to him one by one. Like, that he was walking around in this nice palace wearing his shoes. He slipped them off but then ended up tucking them under his arm, because he didn't know what else to do with them. And.

His face was wet. He didn't want to drip on the floor. He had already destroyed some of the property here. But, he didn't want to touch it. The wetness... he didn't want to think about it. He rubbed his cheek against his shoulder. 

His glasses were crooked. They'd gotten askew when Vaslav hit him, but Yuri wasn't sure if they were damaged when his face hit the mirror. He tried to straighten them, but they were still crooked. They were his only pair.

Vaslav had kissed him. Yuri hadn't even kissed Victor since their soulmark appeared, and Vaslav had kissed him. He'd been kissed by Vaslav.

The hallway ended at an open room, like a foyer or something, and Yuri turned around a few times, looking for more light, maybe... a bathroom? He went through a doorway and nearly collided with another partygoer. He came to an abrupt stop when he saw Yuri's face.

"Oh, shit, what happened to your face?"

Yuri thought that was fairly self-explanatory. "Is there a bathroom?"

The guy gaped. "Uh..." He pointed to the right. Thankfully, it was close. "Are you ok? Should I get someone?"

"Thanks," Yuri replied to the guy. He went in and closed the door, and sighed with relief.

Except, now it was worse. He was looking into a mirror, and he could see his face. Half of it was cut up and covered in blood, and half of it looked puffy. Damn it.

He turned the cold water on and splashed his face. The water that fell into the marble sink was red. Yuri was getting scared again. He didn't know basic first aid. What was he supposed to do? Were there... band aids in here? How was he supposed to put a band aid on a cut like this? He looked at his face again. There were a small network of cuts, right near his eye. They were still bleeding. How long were they going to bleed? Could Yuri just... just stay in the bathroom until they were done?

He looked around. He needed... like, tissues or something, right? There was toilet paper... and there were towels. The towels looked really expensive. Everything in this mansion looked expensive. Yuri felt nervous. He could jam toilet paper on his face...? Maybe? But...

Now that his face was wet, the blood seemed like it was just pouring off his face. He wasn't even sure he could get to the toilet without dripping blood everywhere. And there was a nice fuzzy rug in front of the toilet, so. Yuri grabbed a towel and got it went, and then he pressed it to the bleeding side of his face. He pried his glasses off, and set them down. They didn't _look_ broken, but they didn't look like they were resting flat on the counter, either.

Now what? Yuri looked at himself in the mirror. The puffy side of his face was going to be bruised, wasn't it? Yuri should be used to cuts and bruises, he was a figure skater, after all. He'd faceplanted into the wall enough times. Everything about this felt different, and he felt so alone.

He had the asiniely stupid thought that if Victor were here and could put his arms around Yuri, everything would feel better. If Victor were here, he'd know that someone else had kissed Yuri first.

What was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to have done?

There was a knock at the door. "Yuri? It's Giada. Someone said you were in trouble? Are you ok?"

Yuri stared at himself. He couldn't think of what he should say. Technically, no, he was not ok. That wasn't even truly a technicality. There was no definition of _ok_ in which he currently fit.

"Can I come in?" There was a pause, during which Yuri weighed the embarrassment of having Giada see him versus the fact that he had no clue what the fuck he was doing. "I'm going to come in, ok? So if you have your pants down, just leave them there."

That really wasn't funny.

The door opened a crack, and then she must have seen that Yuri was at the sink fully clothed, because she opened the door more. "Yuri..." and then she gasped. She came in and went to Yuri's side. "Holy shit! Oh, Yuri..."

"I'm sorry about the towel," he managed to get out. "It's a very nice towel. ...And, um, there's a mirror that's cracked... and a vase broke."

"I don't care about any of those things," Giada informed him flatly. "C'mon... let me look..." She pulled the towel back enough to look him over. She took a deep breath. "The cuts don't look too deep, but they're awfully close to your eye, and it's already getting puffy. I can't be sure there's not some damage to the bones... we should take you to the hospital..."

"No," Yuri said firmly. "I'm not going to any hospital."

Giada blinked, but if she was surprised, she wasn't letting it stop her. "All right. Sit down over here..." She led him to the toilet, getting him to sit. She pressed the towel back to his cuts, and then she turned. "Luca, don't just stand there like an idiot! Go get me some cold packs and the first aid kit. And call for Dr. Bianchi." She turned back to Yuri and smiled. "We'll take care of you. Better than we have to this point. It was Vaslav, wasn't it? Should I... I should call the polizia, right?"

Yuri looked at her, alarmed. Wait, polizia? Police? But then, he'd have to tell everyone... He shook his head without thinking.

Giada looked helpless.

Luca came back, and he brought Giada a basket and two cold packs. "Here." He looked at Yuri, "a-and Bertuccio is calling for the doctor."

"You're making too big a fuss," Yuri complained under his breath.

"Shush. Luca, close the door and come over here," Giada ordered him. She gave him one of the cold packs, and had him hold it to the uncut side of Yuri's face. Giada went through the basket and pulled out some things. She put some ointment on a gauze pad, and Yuri pulled away as she brought it to his face, but she just gave him a stern look. He held still, and she dabbed the ointment on his cuts.

He winced.

"Baby," she teased him.

He wanted to smile. He looked at her. She really was beautiful, especially now that she was completely focused on something. "You're more maternal than I would have guessed," he mumbled.

Luca grinned, and Giada smiled at him. "I'm _full_ of surprises." She finished cleaning his cuts, and then she started to press a pad to his face. She made a face. "I'm not sure... well, here. Luca, hold this, too." 

"Sure, sure," he muttered, standing so he could hold something to both sides of Yuri's face. 

Yuri wanted to say something funny, but he just couldn't think of anything. This whole situation was absurd.

Giada went through the kit, and then she started to cut some sterile gauze pads. She put them on Yuri's cuts, taping them down. When she was done, she backed off. "Ok, well... the doctor will redress them, anyway. Here," she gave Yuri the other cold pack wrapped in a towel to hold to the cut side of his face. She took the other cold pack from Luca. "Go get Yuri a shirt." Luca nodded and took off.

Yuri felt the guilt rise up to choke him. "I... I'm really causing you a lot of trouble," he sighed.

"You're not the cause of this trouble," she told him firmly. She took his free hand, his right hand, and squeezed. "I'm so sorry for this, Yuri. I can't believe this happened right under our noses... I never should have let you out of my sight."

Yuri wanted to say something, but what he wanted to say was _I never should have come out here_ , and he realized that might be hurtful. "Your rink... really is beautiful."

She smiled kindly at him. "Well, come back when no one else is here. You can enjoy it to your heart's content, promise."

He smiled.

Luca came back with a shirt and pants, and an older man with a wispy mustache who was holding an old fashioned doctor bag. 

"Oh, my. Giada, your mother will not be pleased," he told her kindly. And then he yawned.

" _I'm_ not pleased," she informed him, getting up to give him room. Luca scurried around, getting the doctor a chair to sit on. He sat down in front of Yuri and smiled brightly.

"Let's take a look at you, son," he said. Yuri let the old man position his head around and poke him. "You should get an x-ray," he scolded Yuri, but Yuri just stared back at him. "Doesn't look like there's any orbital damage, though. No blood in the eye. That's a blessing. You did a terrible job dressing this, Giada."

"That's why I didn't become a nurse," she replied sunnily. 

"What a terrifying thought," the old man winked at Yuri, and Yuri felt more at ease. "Oookay, then. Let me see..." he leaned over to rifle through his bag. He came up with a small spray can. "Close your eyes." He held a hand up over Yuri's left eye, and then he sprayed all over the cut area. It stung, but not too badly. The old man leaned back, and looked at the can. "This stuff is made by sorcerers. Good stuff, should help heal it up without any scars. Ok." He turned Yuri's face and covered his right eye. He sprayed the other cheek, where Yuri was hit. "Might help with the bruising, can't hurt." He dropped the can back in his bag, and then he got ready to dress Yuri's wound. When he was done, he examined his work. He smiled at Yuri. "Have it all looked at again in a day or so, make sure it's healing up. And you still should have an x-ray, but I won't press you. What about the bastard who hit 'im?" he turned to look at Giada and Luca.

Giada scolwed. "Yuri doesn't want to call the polizia."

"Well, more than one way to deal with things," he winked at her. 

She nodded.

Yuri wanted to protest, but he also... didn't.

The old man stood up slowly, pushing off the chair. He smiled at Yuri again, and ruffled his hair. "Get some rest, young man," he winked at Yuri.

"Thank you," Yuri said quietly.

"Thank you, Dr. Bianchi," Giada said warmly.

"Don't give it a thought, I love getting up in the middle of the night to deal with rowdy parties. Just take care of him, now," he bopped her on the head, and then headed out.

Giada and Luca followed. Luca looked back at Yuri. "Take your time and get cleaned up and changed, we'll be outside."

Yuri nodded. 

He was alone again in the bathroom, but he felt a lot better. He used the toilet, and then he stripped down to his black boxers. He looked himself over, and then he kind of splashed himself in the sink, freshening up. He put on the clothes Luca brought for him. Yuri was pretty sure these were Luca's clothes. The shirt was a white button down, and it felt really nice, really comfortable. He rolled up the sleeves, and the fact that it was big on him didn't matter. He put on the pants, which had a drawstring waist, so he could get them to fit just fine if he rolled up the legs. Not knowing what else to do, he slipped his shoes back on.

He threw out the shirt he'd been wearing, and then he threw out the pants he'd had on, too. They were just plain work out clothes he'd gotten in Madrid, he had no attachment to them, and this seemed easier than anything else. He gathered up the bloody towels and looked around to make sure the bathroom looked clean.

He stepped outside, and Giada and Luca were waiting for him enough away from the door to give him some privacy. He smiled nervously at them and they looked at him hopefully. He looked around. It seemed darker than before, but he had no real idea. It was a lot quieter than before. "Um, thanks for the clothes..." 

"No problem," Luca smiled brightly. "Don't give it a thought. Pretty much everyone has turned in... You want me to show you to your room? I should have just brought you pajamas, you'll want to get some rest."

Yuri must have looked panicked, because they both reacted quickly.

"Oh, we've already thrown Vaslav out of the house and off the property," Giada assured him.

"Your room will be near ours. And you can lock the door," Luca added.

"All the rest of the guests are in a whole different part of the house," Giada nodded. "We won't let anyone disturb you anymore."

"I appreciate that," Yuri nodded. "But... can I... say something really selfish?" 

"Please do," Giada urged him.

"I want to go home," he said plainly.

"Home... as in...?" she looked confused and alarmed.

"Can I... get a taxi, or something, to go to the airport? I-I don't know where the closest one is, but..." he asked.

"I'll drive you to Fiumicino Airport," Luca said, looking at Giada. Giada nodded.

"Oh, I don't want to put you to that much trouble..." Yuri protested.

"It's no trouble, it's just like an hour or so away," Luca smiled. "Let me just drink a detox wash and..." he winked.

Giada smiled at Yuri. "He always has one after he drinks, he _hates_ getting a hangover. Thank god for sorcerers, making our lives better everyday, huh?"

Yuri looked at her helplessly.

"How should I... return the clothes, I..." Yuri looked down at himself.

"Don't give it a thought, we're going to Milan to buy new wardrobes soon, anyway. Just... try not to think of us unkindly. Maybe." She smiled weakly. She took Yuri's hand and squeezed. "Are you really ok? We can have everyone but your friends out of the house before you wake up in the morning..."

"I don't even know what time it is," Yuri sighed. "I know I'm being difficult. I just. I really want to... get home again. I-I was going to go home after this festival, anyway. I just." He really wanted to see Victor. Who probably wasn't in Hasetsu anyway. And who would definitely be through with Yuri when he found out Yuri had been kissing other men in Europe. But.

Yuri couldn't think of anything else.

"Do you want to eat something before you go? You look so pale... Oh, we have some energy drinks, those would be good, right? Or, protein drink... here, let's get you something," she led him to the kitchen, where Luca was finishing off his detox wash. She went to the fridge while he winked at Yuri and headed back to the bathroom. Yuri knew what those washes were like. He definitely needed to use the bathroom. "Would you like a sandwich? Or... mm, we have some nice pepperoni, ah..."

"I don't think I could eat much, anyway," Yuri told her.

She gave him a worried look, and then she pulled out two bottles of protein drinks. She set those down, and then she got him two bananas. She went to the cupboard, and started to get more things. 

"Um," Yuri looked at the bananas on the counter.

"Hush," she sighed. "Just let me mother you."

He almost laughed.

She pulled a small decorative gift bag out of a drawer, and she put one drink, the two bananas, and several cookies wrapped up in a napkin in the bag. She opened up the remaining protein drink and handed it to him. 

Obediently, he started to drink it.

"All right, I'm ready, are you ready?" Luca asked Yuri.

Giada handed him the bag and the cap for the drink.

"I guess so," Yuri nodded. 

Giada walked with them to the garage. They had an excessive number of cars, but Luca got into a two-seater convertible.

Just before Yuri got in, Giada gasped. "Oh, Yuri, your luggage! Should I get Ariana...?"

"No, I didn't have any luggage when I came to Europe, so it's fine. Just... please tell Ariana goodbye for me, and... that I'm sorry I didn't wait to say goodbye myself." He smiled sheepishly at her.

Giada surged forward and grabbed Yuri into a tight hug. "I can't ever express to you how sorry I am that this happened. Please, take care of yourself, Yuri." She kissed his cheek. Then, she whispered, "We'll be cheering for you all season. When you make the Grand Prix Final this year, just know that... you'll have two fans in the audience cheering their hearts out for you and believing in you, one hundred percent."

Yuri's eyes widened. He pulled back, looking at her in a panic.

She blew him a kiss, and stepped back.

Confused and embarrassed, he got into the car.

Luca didn't say anything at first, and Yuri's mind was still reeling. Of course they knew who he was. They'd been teasing him when they met. He knew that. But.

But.

"Is there really nothing else we can do for you? I mean, if you want to spend a few days in Roma relaxing, I can set you up in the best hotel there," Luca offered.

"That's ok. I just. It's past time I was at home," Yuri said, and it sounded darker than he intended.

Luca was quiet for a moment. "You didn't do anything to cause this to happen. I wish that I'd... well. That's pointless. But. Yuri. You're not to blame."

Yuri slumped down, and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry for making you drive me when it's so late."

"It's the least I can do. And I love driving this late, I can go as fast as I want. I'll take my time coming back, too, enjoy a quiet Saturday morning in Roma. What could be better?" Luca winked at him.

Yuri smiled. "Thanks. I'm just... I'm going to..."

"Relax. I'll get you to the airport."

Yuri meant to close his eyes, but the air was so cool and lovely, the stars were still so bright, and the convertible felt great. He stared up at the sky, and let his thoughts slip away.

In what was, to Yuri, a surprisingly short time, they were pulling onto the road that led to the airport. It was still just predawn, and there was no traffic. The lights of the terminal looked surreal, like it wasn't really an airport. 

Luca pulled the car up to the departures terminal for international flights. "Is there really nothing else I can do for you? I mean, I'm willing to go in and charter a flight, if it would make things easier for you?"

"No, no!" Yuri laughed. "That would be way too excessive!" He held his hands up to wave Luca off. And he noticed his fingerless glove. "Ah... um, could you return this to Ariana?" he pulled it off savagely. 

It was time he stopped denying what was real.

Luca's eyes widened as he caught a glimpse of Yuri's soulmark, and then he closed his eyes. When he opened them, Yuri realized that Luca _had_ been interested in him. "No problem. And seriously, Yuri... I know you can't have any good feelings about our home, but... if you ever want to skate on our rink again... we'd be more than happy for you to come."

"Thanks," Yuri nodded, and he got out of the car. Luca didn't pull away until Yuri was in the terminal.

Inside, Yuri felt lost. There were basically only airport staff there. He wandered around, not even seeing anything. He passed a box to recycle language plugs, and he pulled his out and dumped it, and _then_ thought about how he still needed to get a ticket and everything. He kept wandering around, and then he saw a desk for JapanAir. Relieved, he headed for it.

The young woman at the desk looked sleepy. Yuri wondered if she was just starting or ending her shift. She said something to him, but she was speaking Italian.

"Um, do you speak Japanese?" he asked her.

"Of course I do, sir, good morning! How can I help you?" she beamed.

"M-morning, I need a flight home. Er, to Fukuoka, or, well, anywhere in Japan is fine," Yuri asked. He suddenly remembered that he had a bandage on half his face, and a bruise on the other half, and his glasses were askew. He nervously combed his bangs down with his fingers in the hopes of masking it somewhat.

"Ok, let me take a look! Mm, we actually only have four direct flights to Japan today... the first one is all booked. ...So is the second. There's a seat on the third flight, it doesn't leave until eight this evening, though, is that all right?" she asked.

"What about an indirect flight? Er, I mean, with a stopover..." he cleared his throat. "Uh, I was just hoping to. Leave. Before too long." He felt like an idiot.

"Let me check!" she smiled. "Oh, we have a flight to Bangkok that leaves in two hours, and then goes right to Fukuoka! That's perfect, right?"

"Bangkok?" Yuri repeated. And then he started to laugh. And then he realized how he must seem, so he swallowed his laughter quickly. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean... I... I have a friend in Bangkok who's been bugging me to visit him. So, this is... like. Fate. Can I just. Can I get a ticket to Bangkok, then?"

"Certainly! Only first class is available, is that all right?" 

"Sure, why not," Yuri shrugged.

"If you could just..." she pointed to the biometric hand scanner.

He put down his fingers first, and then his palm. The machine scanned his hand, and then blinked a happy green light.

"Excellent, Katsuki-san! Your registration and payment are complete. A receipt has been emailed to you. You just need to go to Gate D4. And... there's a place you can get your glasses repaired at on the concourse," she told him quietly.

He flushed, and bowed to her. "Th-thank you."

"Do you have any luggage?" she asked, peeking over the counter.

"Just myself," he shrugged.

"Fine. You'll be able to use your thumbprint for ID. You... you look familiar, are you...?" she looked him over more carefully.

He stepped back and smiled. "I... just have one of those faces."

He left the desk, and followed the signs for Gate D. At least the letters were easy to identify. The airport being eerily empty did make it easy to get around, and within the hour, the sun had come up and suddenly there were more people everywhere. He got his glasses fixed, and he finished the protein drink Giada had given him, and a banana. He boarded the plane when the first call was made, and before they had lifted off, he was asleep.

He dreamed of skating with Victor in the woods, slipping through trees to try to keep up with him.

☽☾

Phichit landed a _stunning_ triple Salchow, and then he glided over to the rail, checking his phone to see if he got it on video. He leaned over to clip the video so he could post just the jump. When he was almost finished, a notification of a call popped up in front of him. He almost pushed _Deny_ because it was an unregistered number, but his sense of civic duty caused him to push _Accept_. Never knew who might want to call Thailand's Great Hope these days.

"Phichit-kun?"

"Yuri!" Phichit grinned. "Why are you audio only?"

"I'm at a phone booth."

"Wow, I didn't know there were still any of those," Phichit laughed.

"Well, they're here..."

"Where are you? It's really loud."

"I'm at Suvarnabhumi Airport."

"Wait, you're... you're in Bangkok?" Phichit laughed with delight. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming? You'll be able to see me, right?"

"Well, I hope so, I don't really... have anyplace else to go... I must have slept through the language plug sales on the plane, too, and I'm... I'm not sure where to go..."

"Don't worry, we can get you a plug out here, and I can tell you how to get into the city, it's not as complicated as it might seem. I can't believe you're here! Ok, this is what you do..." Phichit gave Yuri the simplest instructions that he could so that Yuri could get off at the nearest train station to the Imperial World shopping center. Once they hung up, Phichit quickly got off the ice and went to wash up and meet Yuri at the station.

Twenty minutes later, he saw Yuri get off the train, looking confused. He rushed over and practically tackled Yuri into a hug.

"Thisissoexciting!" Phichit rocked them back and forth. "I can't believe you're actually here in Bangkok! What brings you here? Why didn't you tell me you were coming? Why didn't you have your phone? I can't believe they have payphones at the airport, don't people just rent cell phones? How long can you stay?" He pulled back to look at Yuri and he gasped. "Yuri, what happened to your face?"

"It's... all a long story," Yuri sighed.

Phichit really looked at Yuri. Not only did he look like he was beat up, but he also looked pale, tired, and miserable. Phichit smiled brighter. He took Yuri's hand. "Ok! Well, let's go back to my place and you can tell me all about it."

"Will your parents be ok with you just bringing home a random friend?" Yuri asked nervously.

"Ah, I convinced them to let me have my own apartment," Phichit winked, leading Yuri to the right stairs. "The building is managed by one of my aunts, and my apartment is suuuuper small, but it's fine. After living on my own in Detroit, I didn't think I could live under my parents' sharp noses anymore."

Yuri smiled tentatively. Ok, that was better. 

They got down to the street, and Phichit happily clung to Yuri's hand, leading him through the crowd. Normally, Yuri got embarrassed when they hugged or if Phichit clung to him, but he wasn't resisting today. It was a normal busy Saturday, though, and it was getting dark. They made it to Phichit's building, and he took Yuri up the stairs to his apartment. Once they were inside, Yuri took off his shoes and then he took a deep breath.

"Make yourself at home," Phichit winked at him. He went around Yuri to go inside and let Yuri know it was ok to follow. He showed Yuri to the couch, and then he went to check his hamsters. He got all three out, and he went to sit with Yuri, plopping one of them into Yuri's lap.

Hamsters made things better.

"So!" Phichit smiled brightly. Yuri gently pet HamHam and said nothing.

Ok.

"Oh! I heard that crazy rumor about Victor Nikiforov coming to be your coach or something?? I was going to call you to find out if it was for real! I pictured you just dropping dead if Victor really showed up at your place," Phichit laughed.

Yuri deflated. "He did."

"What?" Phichit blinked.

"Victor did. He showed up. He was naked."

"Wait, what?" Phichit leaned forward.

"You know, in the onsen," Yuri added, like it was perfectly normal. Of course, if you grew up in an onsen, maybe it was.

Ok, then. "You've seen Victor naked?!"

"A lot, actually," Yuri stared off into the distance.

"Well... what happened?" Phichit prodded him.

"What happened..." Yuri sighed. And then slowly, he held his hand out and opened his palm for Phichit.

At first, Phichit was confused, but then he saw... "Omigod, Yuri!" He grabbed onto Yuri's hand, looking it over. He rubbed his thumb over the soulmark. "You and Victor are _soulmates?_ Well, of course you are!" Phichit laughed.

His hamster was trying to get up his arm. He used one hand to scoop him back up. He couldn't stop staring at the soulmark.

Well. _Of course_ Yuri's soulmate would be none other than Victor Nikiforov. Of course.

"Of course..." Yuri echoed disbelieving. "What do you mean?"

"But... why aren't you...?" Phichit started. If he and Victor were soulmates, then...

"Because I screwed it up! _Of course_. I kept denying it. I called it a mistake. I kept pushing him away. He choreographed a spell for me and he was training me and he was... he was... he was with me, everyday, and he's... Phichit, he's so kind and incredible, and I just. I just did what I _always do_ , and I _screwed it up_. And I ran away." Yuri dumped the hamster Phichit had given him into Phichit's lap. He took deep, shuddering breath. "I ran away to _Spain_. Without my phone. Without telling anyone! And everyone back home is worried about me. _Again_. And Victor knows what a... a... _basket case_ I am. And."

"Yuri, it's going to be fine!" Phichit laughed. "What a great story for your grandkids, how Grandpa Yuri took off for Spain after being marked, but then they worked it out. I mean. You're soulmates!" Phichit piled the three hamsters together in his lap. 

" _Nothing_ will be fine, Victor's probably already gone back to Russia, and then... then... in Italy... I did something... something..." he looked haunted. "And..." he touched the bandage on his face. His eyes were filling up with tears, and it looked like he wasn't really seeing anything in front of him. "I don't know what to do. I don't know what to do! I don't know how to fix this, I can't fix this. And he's... he's gonna hate me. And he should, he should hate me! I don't know what I'm going to do when he hates me, I just..."

Ok, this was a whole different situation than Phichit was thinking at first.

He put the hamsters in a bowl he kept on the coffee table with some wooden chew toys for the hamsters to play with. He leaned forward and put his hands on Yuri's shoulders. "Hey." Yuri looked up at him, and Phichit could tell from the scared look on his face that things were Bad. "Hey. Look. We're going to get through this. Together. You're not alone, Yuri. Here's what we're going to do, ok? You're going to take a shower... and I'm going to order some pizza. And we're going to pretend we're not professional sorcerers, and we're going to eat the pizza and watch something trashy and dumb on Netflix. Maybe some Mexican soap operas, those are great, right?" Phichit wiggled his eyebrows for Yuri, and Yuri relaxed a measure. "And then we'll go to bed. And. Tomorrow, in the morning... we'll make a new plan. And just like that... one step at a time. We'll figure it out. Ok?"

Shakily, Yuri nodded.

Phichit was glad that Yuri had come to him. He showed Yuri to the shower, and he left out some pj's that were loose on Phichit for Yuri. He put the hamsters back in their cages, and then he ordered the pizza. He got them something to drink, and then he set up his laptop.

Yuri came out about five minutes before the pizza came. He was a lot calmer, but he didn't seem to be any happier. Well, of course. As they ate and watched, though, Yuri started to relax, and he even laughed along with Phichit by the third episode. 

He fell asleep after the sixth episode. Phichit left it on, though. He got his phone, and positioned it. This wasn't at all the ideal conditions for a selfie. He didn't have his stick handy to get the right angle, and the lights were low, but he didn't want to use the flash. He used his toe to move the laptop's screen so he could use that as a light source. He took the pic three times before he was satisfied.

Yuri was dozing on his shoulder, but the bandage on his face and part of his bruise were visible. Phichit would never normally post a pic like that of his friend, but.

He had to test Victor Nikiforov's feelings.

He posted it with the caption _Neflix and snooze with my bestie! #KatsukiYuri #YuriKatsuki_ , and then he waited.

If Victor was worried about Yuri after Yuri took off with no warning, he'd be watching social media for any news of Yuri, right? So, no matter which hashtag he followed...

Phichit pulled a throw over Yuri, and let him sleep. He kept his eyes on his phone. If a few hours passed, he'd delete the photo. He didn't want Yuri to feel embarrassed because people saw it. 

But.

Phichit wanted Victor to see it.

☽☾

It was well after midnight, and Victor should have been asleep ages ago. He was having trouble falling asleep, though, so he decided to scroll through his phone. He checked his feeds, and messages, and he looked at a few sites he normally visited.

He looked at the hashtag for Yuri on twitter and then on instagram. There wasn't much on twitter except that video of Yuri performing the [Stay Close to Me] spell. He resisted the urge to watch it again. On instagram, he saw the usual pictures, mostly from the friend of Yuri's from Thailand. Victor was about to put his phone away when the feed updated.

Yuri's friend posted a new picture of Yuri.

Victor sat up so fast he threw Makkachin out of bed. He didn't even apologize to his sweet puppy. He was quickly fumbling over sending Yuri's friend a direct message.

_Is Yuri ok? What happened to his face? Where are you?_

He waited for the response, just willing his phone to show him the update, and poking at it to try to force the update. Finally, a new message came up.

_If you're curious, we're in Bangkok. Find out for yourself._

Victor jumped out of bed and ran to the Katsuki's bedroom.

"Mama! Papa! I mean... Katsuki-san...tachi. Yuri is in Bangkok!"

"He didn't knock," Yuri's father groaned.

They were in bed, but they had the light on. Yuri's mom was reading and Yuri's dad was trying to sleep, but...

Didn't they hear what he just said?!

"If he's in Bangkok, then he's with Phichit-kun. That's good," Yuri's mom smiled.

Victor didn't think he was getting through to them. "Yuri had some kind of bandage on his face. I'm going to see how he's doing. I'll report back as soon as I can!" He turned to leave, but Yuri's mom stopped him.

"Wait! You just said... but he's with Phichit-kun... it's the middle of the night, Vicchan!"

"That doesn't matter!" he threw his arms up in the air.

Yuri's dad put his glasses on and sat up on his elbow. "Isn't that Yuri's shirt...?" he sighed.

"You won't be able to get a flight for hours. And I thought you agreed to wait for Yuri to come home," Yuri's mom continued.

"I was invited! Yuri's friend _told_ me to come! And I can charter a flight!" Victor told them firmly.

"What is he talking about at this hour? Just go to bed, the trains aren't even running," Yuri's dad sighed.

"I can charter a car, too!" Victor scoffed. "I'll let you know when I get there, and I'll update you on Yuri's condition!"

"Condition?" Yuri's mom said, but Victor was already out the door. 

He ran to his room. Makkachin was outside the door, waiting patiently. He followed Victor in and jumped up on the bed while Victor grabbed a carryon bag and started to toss things into it. "Makkachin, I'm going to get Yuri. You behave yourself, ok? When I get back, Yuri and I will give you lots and lots of cuddles, I promise!" 

Makkachin wagged his tail at Victor approvingly.

At least _someone_ understood!

Victor was going to see Yuri soon...

☽☾


	7. Sixth Spell

☽☾

**Sixth Spell**

☽☾

Victor could not remember the last time that _everything_ in the whole world has last seemed so _annoying_. He couldn't get to the airport in Fukuoka until nearly three in the morning because even though he ordered the cab in _plenty_ of time after he'd decided to go, it had to come _from_ the airport first, and there weren't that many cabs working at that time. He'd seriously been considering calling Nishigori and asking for a ride from _him_ when the cab _finally_ showed up. Then, he had _endless_ trouble getting a flight. He didn't get to Suvarnabhumi Airport until nearly eleven in the morning Hasetsu time, which was nine in the morning Bangkok time.

He had to get a language plug since the chartered flight didn't have any, and then he had to figure out where he was going. He'd left Yuri's friend _dozens_ of messages, but not one had been returned. He wondered if maybe it was because Yuri and his friend were still asleep...? Yuri wasn't exactly a morning person. Victor got into downtown Bangkok and found a small café where he could have coffee and something to eat. It was a pleasant place that made Victor feel like he was eating in some family's greenhouse. He had coffee and a fruit salad with fried shrimp. It was a more substantial breakfast than he needed, but it _had_ been a long night.

He pulled out his phone.

Yuri's friend _still_ hadn't replied to any of his messages. Victor tried a few more times. He looked Yuri's friend up on the International Sorcery Foundation's website, but their information on him was out of date. They still had him training in Detroit. 

Out of easy options, Victor started sending messages to Mila. He had to send her several before she replied even with a single angry emoji, but then he just sent several more, and she answered him. He felt a tiny bit badly about it, since it _was_ before seven in the morning in St. Petersburg, but Yakov would just get angry with him and not give him any answers, and Mila knew every figure skater in the world, he assumed. Her response was testy - _Did you even **try** going through his IG feed? He's skating at the Imperial World shopping center these days. Victor, did you already bag the cute Japanese boy, and now you want a Thai skater? This one is too young for you!_ \- so he didn't bother responding to her. He finished his breakfast, paid his bill, and headed out to hail a tuk tuk that was near. He knew he was being overcharged, but he really didn't care.

Even if Yuri wasn't at the Imperial World, if Yuri's friend was skating there as his home rink, they would know about him. They might be able to contact him for Victor. If he just turned on his charm, he should be able to convince them to help out. 

He was going to see Yuri again. And soon.

The ride took longer than it should have because he had to tell the driver that _yes_ , he _really_ did want to go do the Imperial World shopping center, and no, he wasn't interested in a great deal on uncut gems. When he finally arrived, he was feeling optimistic enough that he gave the driver a healthy tip despite the trouble he had. 

The shopping center was crowded, loud, and fun. Victor thought he could probably guess at how to get to the skating rink, but he was feeling anxious so he stopped to ask someone. They directed him to the right escalator, and he was on his way.

It wouldn't be much longer. 

He got up to the floor with the rink, and he went to the reception desk. There was a sign out. He assumed that he knew what it meant, but since he couldn't read it anyway he just went straight to the young lady at the desk. She looked to be about fifteen, and she was chewing gum and playing on her phone. 

_She_ would probably answer messages that she got in a timely fashion. Unlike _some_ people from this country who were _clearly ignoring him_...

"Hi," Victor started out with his usual friendly smile.

Before he could say another word, though, she cut him off. "Sorry, the rink is only open to sorcerers. Regular customers have to wait until two pm. If you'd like to watch Holy _fuck_ you're Victor Nikiforov!" she finally looked up and thankfully, was a fan of figure skating.

Victor turned his charm up to maximum. "Hiii! It's nice to meet you! I'm looking for a skater who uses this rink for training... Yu-- ah, no, it's, um. Phichit. Phichit Chu--"

"You're a friend of Phichit's!?" she jumped to her feet, laughing. "Omigod, I can't wait to tell my mom! Phichit is our national treasure!" she beamed. "I never knew he knew _you_ , though! Well, go right in!" She waved her arm toward the rink, beaming. "He's in there right now! Wait, can I get a selfie with you?" 

Victor bit the inside of his lip to keep from letting his smile falter. "Sure!" he agreed, because he always agreed, and there was no excuse for being rude to a fan. Even if he was just moments away from being close to Yuri again, _finally_. "Oh, no, I hope my hair doesn't look too flat, I've been traveling for what feels like forever," he sighed and he quickly straightened out his bangs. 

She gaped at him. "Omigod, you look _perfect_." After another moment or two of ogling him while he smiled, she snapped out of it, and then jumped up to sit on the counter. She leaned over and he leaned in, and then she took the picture. 

He was pleased that he didn't have any visible bags under his eyes, at least. He leaned in and whispered to her, "Use the slumber filter," and then he headed off to find Yuri.

Well, to find Yuri's friend, but if _he_ was here training... Yuri would be here, too, right?

He went into the rink, and he knew immediately. After all, there couldn't be _that_ many sorcerers who could make _this_ much color just practicing, right? Bright puffs of yellow and purple were floating all around. There were only about a half dozen skaters on the rink, but only two of them were actively skating. The rest were just doing lazy circuits or standing back so they could watch.

In the center of the ice, Yuri and his friend were doing a tight circuit around each other. Then, Yuri's friend reached out for him, Yuri grabbed his hand, and they rotated around each other, laughing. Bright pops of cerulean fizzed all around them.

Victor's eye twitched. There was no exact science to colors. Brighter, more intense colors were considered more powerful, but they weren't connected to certain emotions from the sorcerer. It wasn't _just_ the color, though. Yuri's body language, the way they were both laughing, their comfort with each other. Victor already knew they were friends, and rinkmates. So, that should be expected.

He was pretty damned certain, though, that at some point in their relationship, those two had been lovers.

He dumped his bag near the wall and stepped onto the ice. He knew he was being recognized, but it didn't really matter. Yuri and his friend broke off, and Yuri's friend went to make a wider circuit, and Yuri stayed in the center of the ice, spinning. Victor slid in behind him just as he came to stop. He put his hand on Yuri's shoulder loosely, trying to be conscious of the fact that Yuri might not want him too close. 

"Hi, mind if I join you?" Victor smiled more confidently than he felt.

"Vi-Victor!" Yuri was so surprised he nearly fell over. He looked... 

Afraid?

This might not be that easy. Victor really only needed to know that Yuri was all right. If he had to, he'd head straight back to the airport, but.

"Wow, that didn't take as long as I thought it would!" Yuri's friend skated up to them, kicking some ice shards toward Yuri and Victor's legs. "I thought I'd have Yuri all to myself until at _least_ dinner," he pouted at Victor.

"Phichit-kun!" Yuri chastised him. "What...?" he looked from one of them to the other.

"You were worried that Victor was mad at you and didn't want to see you," Phichit shrugged. 

Victor blinked.

"So, I contacted him. Seems like he's not mad," Phichit winked at Yuri. "If the two of you want to talk, there's some rooms through there that should be free. They use them for parties, or when coaches want to talk to their skaters. Ahh, I guess I should check with Ciao Ciao, see if he's left me any messages. It's kind of fun, being half a world away from my coach, but it doesn't change the amount of time I have to listen to him lecture me!" Phichit complained.

"Phichit-kun..." Yuri sighed, and Phichit glided off. 

Yuri looked at Victor fearfully.

This wasn't how Victor wanted this to be at all. He smiled at Yuri. "Well? Shall we get some privacy?"

Yuri's eyes widened, and then he looked resolute. "Y-yeah, ok." He lead the way off the ice, going toward the door Phichit had indicated. Victor's bag was in the other direction, but some things were more important than others. They tapped off their skates, and went through the door, finding a hallway with lots of other doors. Yuri tried the first one, and they found a plain room with a few chairs near the wall. Yuri flipped on the light, and Victor closed the door behind them.

"Alone at last," Victor joked, and then he remembered the last time they were alone in a room, and he wanted to kick himself. "Listen, Yuri..."

"I'm sorry that I just... just took off like that, I know I must seem crazy, but I promise you, I don't do stuff like that normally," Yuri began, but he wasn't looking at Victor. 

"That was my fault," Victor moved so he was closer to Yuri, but he still gave Yuri room. "I did something unreasonable, and I'm very sorry. I didn't consider your feelings. I promise you, I won't do that again."

"You don't have to apologize to me!" Yuri looked at Victor, finally, but he looked horrified. "Yeah, moving into my room was... but then I...!" 

"I didn't give you a choice," Victor sighed.

"Of course I had a choice! I could have chosen to _not be crazy_ ," Yuri desperately disagreed with Victor.

"You're not crazy, stop calling yourself that," Victor pled with him.

"It _was_ crazy, even _I_ could see that, I could tell even when I was doing it, but I just couldn't stop myself. I wanted to do something _useful_ , be _useful_ to someone. I didn't mean to be gone so long. I-I didn't think you'd still be in Hasetsu when I got back. I'm really messing everything up for you," Yuri shuddered.

"Yuri, stop," Victor wanted to put his hands on Yuri, but he wasn't sure he was allowed. He tried smiling. "You're not..."

"If you're going to be competing this season, you should be training, working on your spell. That's what _I'm_ supposed to be doing. Instead, I'm just... screwing up, as usual," Yuri's voice sounded so bitter it was like shards of glass in Victor's ears.

"You're not a screw up!" Victor insisted.

Yuri gave him a _look_. "I can't believe Phichit-kun contacted you. And then... you came..." 

Victor wasn't sure if Yuri was happy to see him or just upset that he was causing Victor even more trouble. "He seems to be a good friend. Or... whatever he is to you."

"Eh?" Yuri blinked.

"Although, after telling me come out here, he wouldn't reply to a single message from me! I had a lot of trouble tracking him down! I'm grateful, but it's not even really like he _contacted_ me. I think he was testing me!" Victor huffed.

"Eh??" Yuri repeated more emphatically.

"I suppose if my ex just showed up at my door, I'd want to test the person who hurt him, too. He even said flat out he wanted you all to himself! Well, I don't blame him, but..." Victor sighed.

"What? No no no no no no no, you've got it all wrong!" Yuri waved his arms around, trying to dispel Victor's mistaken impression. "Phichit-kun was just joking! And he's not my _ex!_ We're friends! Just friends! ...I mean, in the past, we've done... some stuff... _like that_ , I guess, but just _as friends!_ Only as friends! And you can't argue with me unless you can swear you've never fooled around with a friend just like... in a friendly way!" 

Victor clamped his mouth shut. _Damn it_.

"See? Like that!" Yuri took a deep breath. "We were roommates in Detroit, and... you know... some stuff happened... a few times... but not for a really long time, I promise, and that's _not_ why I came here! I-I was actually on my way home and the soonest flight was through Bangkok and I just... thought... but... I wouldn't do that, I wouldn't cheat on you, I mean, not that we're... but we're... so... I wou--" Yuri cut himself off with a strangled sound, and he covered his mouth with his hand, looking away.

"Yuri?" Victor edged closer, concerned.

Yuri squeezed his eyes shut, and Victor thought that maybe he was holding back tears? "I did... do something terrible, though. And... you might end up hating me. I just... I'm _so sorry_. I... I did... kiss someone..." Yuri choked up and stopped talking.

Victor didn't know what to say or do, but Yuri started to spew out words before Victor could think about it too much anyway.

"I'm so sorry! I was at this villa in Italy and there were these rich siblings and they had their own private rink and it was lovely and I skated the spell you made for me and everyone was in a party mood and I was lightheaded and then... this person... was making me drink but I tried to just get away and he was persistent and he took me to an empty room and he kissed me and he got mad when I pushed him away and he hit me and my face hit a mirror and I broke a vase that was probably really old and expensive, and." Yuri ground to a halt, and then he looked at Victor fearfully. "I'm so sorry. Even if you do hate me, I swear, I'll never kiss anyone else again."

Victor felt like he could actually _hear_ the gears in his head turning. "Yuri... it... doesn't sound like you are describing a kiss," Victor said slowly, afraid of the potential land mines in front of him. "It... sounds like... you're describing... an... assault," he said quietly, like it might soften the blow if Yuri hadn't realized it himself.

Yuri shuddered, and he wrapped his arms around himself. "I shouldn't have even been there. I shouldn't have gone to Italy at all. I shouldn't have gone to _Spain_ at all. If I had just stayed at home like a sane person, none of it would have happened," Yuri closed his eyes.

Victor didn't know how to make this right. "Well... then... it's _my_ fault it happened."

Yuri's eyes snapped open and he stared at Victor in wide-eyed horror. "What!? No!"

"I drove you away. Maybe not as far away as Spain, but I drove you out of your home, your own room. You were there because of me, so it's my fault," Victor stated calmly, smiling sadly at Yuri.

"No!" Yuri grabbed Victor's arms. "No, it's not your fault at all! Nothing is your fault!"

"Well, lots of things are my fault," Victor laughed bitterly. Gently, he touched Yuri's face, pushing back his hair so he could see the fine network of cuts better. So, this was because his face hit a mirror...? "But I know one thing for sure. 

"This isn't your fault. You didn't want to be kissing him, right?"

"Well... no... of course not," Yuri wasn't meeting Victor's gaze.

"No one has the right to force you to kiss them," Victor said gently but firmly. "And no one ever has the right to _hit you_. This is definitely not your fault."

"It's not your fault, either," Yuri mumbled. "It's... it's Va-- it's _his_ fault. But.

"Th-thank you. F-for not being mad at me. I don't know what I would have done... how I could have fixed things if you'd been mad at me. For running away, or for..."

" _Yuri_ ," Victor exhaled. And then, even though he wasn't sure it was the right thing to do, he grabbed Yuri into his arms and clung to him. He wanted to say something, something so that it would seem casual and not like he needed to hold onto Yuri to live.

After a moment, Yuri's arms came up and Yuri grabbed onto the back of Victor's shirt.

Victor sighed with relief, like the air was coming out from the deepest parts of his soul. He let himself just _hold_ Yuri, just for now. It felt...

Felt like he'd been waiting to do this his whole life.

Yuri was shaking, and Victor tried to pull back to look at him, but Yuri just clung onto him harder. "Yuri?"

"I'm so stupid," Yuri muttered into Victor's chest. "A-after _it_ happened, I thought... I thought that I might feel better if I could just... hug you. I can't believe I was right about that."

Victor's insides churned and spread out, and he felt warmth radiate all the way to the tips of his fingers and toes. He tightened his hold on Yuri, and rubbed his face into Yuri's thick hair. 

Everything might work out, after all.

Victor brushed his lips over the top of Yuri's head. It was nice, how well they fit together. He really never wanted to let go. And Yuri was still clinging to him, too. Victor could just cry, he was so happy. 

He reminded himself, though, that this was only step one. 

"I think... we've both made some mistakes, big and small," Victor started quietly. "But maybe... we just need to start fresh. This time I promise to listen to you. And we'll just... focus on getting to know each other. And getting you ready for the Grand Prix Final. How does that sound?"

Yuri loosened his grip, and then he pulled back. He was smiling shyly.

Victor wanted to kiss him, but he could hold off. This beautiful person was his soulmate. Amazing!

"Are you sure... it's ok? I mean..." Yuri asked nervously.

Victor didn't want Yuri to have to doubt anything. Anything at all. 

"Sure! Let's just... start all over, then? Hiii! I'm Victor Nikiforov! And I... will be anything you need me to be," Victor offered, holding out his hand.

Yuri looked conflicted, and then he took Victor's hand. "Well, you can just be Victor. I couldn't ask for anything else. ...Ah! I'm... I'm only wearing gloves because we were skating!" Yuri pulled his hand away and then quickly took off his gloves. He looked at Victor from under his bangs. "I'm... I'm not going to hide anymore. S-sorry..."

"It's a fresh start," Victor said quietly. He picked up Yuri's left hand, and turned it over. He couldn't help smiling. "Wow. Yours is darker at the edges than mine. See?" Victor put his palm next to Yuri's.

His heart was pounding hard enough to jump out of his chest.

"T-the lady who ran the dance troupe... she said her grandmother used to 'read' soulmarks. She said... we had... different lines of symmetry. And that was good, for balance. And. It being such a big mark... meant we would have a... a... passionate love affair. Or something," Yuri's cheeks were bright red, and he was keeping his head down.

"Ooh, sounds good!" Victor grinned. He bent down, trying to catch Yuri's eye.

"Mm," Yuri tucked his chin down even further.

Victor brushed Yuri's hair back. "I'm sorry, but... these cuts look really close to your eye. Did you... go to the hospital to have it checked out?"

Yuri looked up at Victor, blinking. "Uh... well, I've seen a doctor. It's fine."

"It's probably fine," Victor fussed, "but you should be fully checked out. I can understand if you don't like going to hospitals, but it would be really bad if there was some kind of underlying damage..."

"No, I didn't mean... wait. What did you say?" Yuri pulled back, looking at Victor distrustfully. "You... _understand_ if I don't like hospitals?"

Victor froze. His eyes widened. He had to think. Think! "I... a lot of people... don't like them. Because of. The smell, I guess?"

Yuri shuddered. "You... someone _told you_... about... Yu-chan. Right? My parents or Minako would never talk about it..." Yuri's eyes looked unfocused.

Victor had to do something, say something! "No, I mean, I _heard_ , but I really didn't mean anything..."

"Phichit-kun took me to the clinic this morning. They did a scan, so everything is fine. ...You really... have only been seeing the worst sides of me, huh? Starting with failing to manifest, and now..." Yuri took a deep breath, his shoulders slumping.

"Your worst isn't so bad!" Victor quickly assured Yuri. "I have unexpected bad sides, too! Even right now, I've hardly gotten any sleep and I've been traveling all night. I bet my hair looks like a real mess," Victor admitted.

Yuri blinked, and then he looked at Victor with what was most likely amusement. He pondered Victor's hair, and Victor suddenly felt really self-conscious. What? When was the last time he felt this way? "No, your hair is... well, I guess it's slightly limper than usual, but..."

"My hair is limp?" Victor put his hands up to his hair. Was there a mirror nearby? Damn it, he should have washed up before coming to see Yuri!

His concern for his hair was interrupted by Yuri's laughter. At first, Victor was a little miffed but the sound was so lovely, Victor couldn't help smiling. Yuri covered his mouth with his hands, trying to suppress his laughs, but his eyes were still dancing with mirth.

Victor beamed, and let his hands drop to his sides. "Just to be clear, though. Vanity is _not_ one of my faults. I'm _aware_ that I'm beautiful, but it's not like it's _important_ to me."

That got another laugh from Yuri, who now wasn't bothering to hold back. "That's good to know." he smiled.

His smile... was wide and bright and he closed his eyes and Victor couldn't help it.

His soulmate was so precious!

He reached out and grabbed a hold of Yuri, holding him close again. "Sorry," he halfhearted apologized. "I just... I've really missed you these past few weeks!" Yuri might not like him saying that...

Yuri squeezed Victor. "Yeah. I... missed you, too. I was thinking about you... all the time. I felt so stupid for running away..."

"Did you have fun with the dance troupe? It looked like you did. Your dance was pretty sexy!" Victor didn't want Yuri calling himself names.

"Ahh... you thought..." Yuri pressed his face against Victor's shoulder, and Victor felt like the sun was shining on him. "Th-thanks. It was pretty fun... It's been a while since I danced a flamenco."

"Mm, I'm a big fan of your flamenco," Victor purred.

"O-oh. Um. Th-thanks," Yuri flushed, pulling back. Reluctantly, Victor let him go. "I-I suppose... we should... Phichit-kun might be waiting for us," Yuri shrugged.

Victor took a deep breath. "All right." He reached out and took Yuri's hand. Yuri looked surprised, but he didn't try to pull away. Smiling, Victor leaned in and kissed Yuri's forehead. Yuri looked shocked, so Victor just winked. He led Yuri to the door, but before they opened it, Victor gave Yuri a serious look. "Is my hair really that limp?" he asked.

Yuri reached up and ruffled Victor's hair, winking at him. He opened the door without even answering Victor!

Out in the hall, Phichit was waiting for them with his own bag and Victor's bag. 

Phichit winked at them. "I'm guessing this one is yours, Victor? No one else here would have a Louis Vuitton duffel bag. It's really heavy!" he complained.

"Ah, sorry about that..." Victor wasn't sure how to read this young man. 

"So, let's take off the rest of the day, hm? I don't know if you were planning on leaving right away, but since you're here, I'd like to show you around! Plus, my mom is insisting that you come for dinner, Yuri. She wants to spoil you for taking care of me in Detroit all that time," Phichit shrugged casually.

"Oh! That's not necessary...!" Yuri started.

"Of course, we'd be happy to have Victor come over, too. My mom is gathering the whole family, so you both have to agree. The only thing is... Um, now that you're together... are you getting a hotel room, or...?" Phichit looked from Victor to Yuri.

Yuri started, and he looked at Victor sheepishly. "Ah, I've just been crashing at Phichit-kun's..." he explained, though Victor had already guessed that.

"I don't... have a hotel reservation," Victor shrugged. He didn't want to say that he didn't want to go anywhere unless Yuri was with him, because he was basically trapped. They were still on delicate footing, so he couldn't exactly ask Yuri to get a hotel room with him. That was a loaded situation. But, he equally couldn't just invite himself into Yuri's friend's apartment.

"How about for now, we stop off at my place so I can wash up and change, and Victor can drop off his luggage, and we'll go sight seeing? We'll have dinner at my parents' tonight, and... we can figure out the details later." Phichit made a cute face, and Yuri visibly relaxed.

Good.

☽☾

Victor was coming out of the bathroom just as Phichit and Yuri were finishing setting up the second 'bed' on the floor. Phichit had only one bedroll, so they made the second one out of his comforter and some blankets. Still, Phichit looked at the bedding on the floor with a frown.

"Is this really ok?" he looked at Victor. "I feel badly, my place is so small... You can have the bed, though, Victor! I can sleep on the floor with Yuri."

It actually would have made more sense to have one of them sleep on the couch in the living room, but Victor had already insisted he would sleep in the same room as the two of them. Yuri was afraid that Victor still might have doubts about Yuri and Phichit's relationship, but...

"No, no, no, this is fine. It's like camping!" Victor brightly replied.

Yuri and Phichit shared a look, and Phichit winked at Yuri. "If you insist... it's more like a sleepover, though! Maybe we should do each other's nails before bed!"

"Ooh, a sleepover! I've never been to one of those before!" Victor beamed, sitting down on the bedroll. He was still drying his hair, but otherwise he was just wearing his underwear. Yuri had to wonder if that was how he always slept... "Are we going to tell each other secrets, too? Fun!"

"How did you never have a sleepover growing up?" Phichit laughed, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Oh!" Yuri looked from Phichit to Victor, hoping Victor wasn't offended. "Growing up, I never had a sleepover, either, though."

"Really?" Phichit looked at him strangely. "Is it not that common in Japan or Russia, then?"

"Mm," Yuri shrugged, thinking. He didn't actually know, come to think of it... "Well... Nishigori spent the night at my house a few times, but. That was right after exams, and I think he just wanted a free night at the onsen," Yuri shrugged.

"Hm," Victor looked contemplative. "At your house, though, there's plenty of extra room."

"Well, he did sleep on the floor in my room. Once, he made me sleep on the floor, too." Yuri made a face. They'd had Vicchan between them. "He complained constantly about my posters, too."

Phichit snorted.

"Eh? What kind of posters did you have? Like, bands he didn't like or something?" Victor asked, confused.

"Ah!" Yuri's eyes widened. Shit, he shouldn't have said anything.

"I bet I can guess!" Phichit leaned down on the bed, barely able to control his amusement. 

"Ph-Phichit-kun!" Yuri stared at his friend, hoping he wouldn't say anything.

"In any case," Phichit smirked at Yuri, "I still can't believe you two have never had a sleepover before!"

"Stop making it sound like we're freaks!" Yuri laughed. "Oh, but... at the Four Continents a few years ago, the night of the competition, a lot of skaters were playing video games, and then we all sort of ended up in a room together and we played most of the night. That's kind of like a sleepover, right?"

"Right? Stuff like that happens at competitions all the time, that's what I mean!" Phichit agreed.

"...So, people do things like that at festivals..." Victor mused.

Yuri froze, and looked at Victor. 

"Eh? No one's ever invited you?" Phichit frowned.

"W-well, that would just have to be because... people are intimidated by Victor, because he's so incredible," Yuri suggested.

"Mm, well, maybe," Phichit agreed half-heartedly, "but it's still not nice. Next time we're at a festival, we'll all hang out. Right?"

Yuri smiled at Victor.

"Sounds fun! Though... I'm not very good at video games," Victor shrugged. "Or rather, I've never really played them."

"Eh? No way! Why not?" Phichit asked.

Victor could only shrug, though. "I don't know, I never... had a system, I never really... felt the need..."

"Mm. Well, skating can't be all there is in your life. I guess that just means there's lots of fun things waiting for you! But... and this is serious advice..." Phichit leaned forward, putting his chin on his hands. "Don't let Yuri try to teach you, especially with a racing game. He's merciless."

"It's not my fault you're not any good at Mario Kart," Yuri laughed.

"Ah! You see?" Phichit pointed at Yuri accusingly. "That competitive spirit's not just restricted to the ice!"

Yuri rolled his eyes, and laid down to get into his makeshift bed. Victor put his towel over the back of Phichit's chair, and slipped into his bedroll. He smiled at Yuri, who only just realized... they were right next to each other on the floor. There wasn't much room between them, either. Victor was looking right at him with his beautiful, perfect eyes. If Yuri were wearing his glasses and could see more clearly, he'd probably be dying of embarrassment.

Embarrassment... was that what he was feeling?

Phichit switched off the light, and then he sighed heavily. "So are we not going to talk about how you two are soulmates at all!?" Phichit exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Ph-Phichit-kun!" Yuri tried to laugh, but he was afraid of Victor's reaction.

"We can talk about it!" Victor replied sunnily. "There's not much to say, though. Yuri and I still need to get to know each other more." He was looking at Yuri, and it was dark and Yuri didn't have his glasses on, and yet.

Yuri felt his face getting warm. He slipped down under his blanket more. 

"It's so wild, though. I mean, the whole concept of soulmates is pretty wild, isn't it? Like, Yuri's idolized Victor for years now... and Victor didn't even know who you were! And then one day... bam! _Soulmates_ ," Phichit whispered dramatically.

"Well, we _had_ met before we were marked..." Victor said.

"Barely," Yuri muttered.

"Like, imagine... you meet someone and you get close to them. And, you fool around a bunch of times, you really feel a connection to them. You know, you think... maybe you're in love. But then, they become soulmates with someone they barely even know!" Phichit let his arms fall to the bed. 

The room was quiet. Yuri peeked out from his blanket, but all he could see of Phichit was a dark lump on the dark lump of the bed. But, Phichit didn't mean...? That was impossible. "...Phichit-kun...?"

"OH I saw this one drama once where this girl was totally a romantic, and she was waiting for the day when she'd meet her soulmate. But then, she fell in love with this guy, and she kept waiting for their mark to appear, and it didn't, but he asked her to marry him, and so she did, and they were happy, but then she met this new guy at work, and _they_ marked each other, and it was _CRAZY_ dramatic!" Phichit excitedly explained.

"I don't think that would happen, though..." Yuri furrowed his brow. "If you're really _in love_ with someone... how can you be totally in sync with someone else, to the point where you would mark each other? Unless... it was a triad... but then, wouldn't all three people mark each other at the same time?" he looked at Victor.

He was pretty sure Victor shrugged. "I think that's how it works."

"You're being too literal, Yuri," Phichit sighed. "It was all about the _drama_. At first, she was going to deny her soulmate and stay with her husband, but then she and her soulmate started to connect... and then I think her husband died or something and she went to go climb a mountain or go on a retreat. And then she and her soulmate met again, like ten years later, and they started over again. Well, they met, and the drama ended, I think, but we were supposed to assume they started over."

"...I think I saw that one. The guy playing her husband was pretty good-looking," Yuri tried to remember the soulmate, or even the girl, but he couldn't place them.

"Yeah, I could have guessed you'd say that," Phichit snickered.

Yuri flushed. He _really_ hoped Victor didn't know the drama they were talking about, because the guy playing the husband... did _somewhat_... resemble Victor...

"There have been lots and lots of dramatic stories exploring the idea of soulmates throughout history," Victor mused. "My favorite is a Russian play about two women who are soulmates, but they've got no family, and they're desperately poor after they're swindled out of their life savings by a jealous ex. So, the woman whose ex swindled them starts to work in a burlesque show to make money, and her soulmate grows to slowly resent and despise her for their poverty and for the way she chose to try to earn money. She resents her, too, for being proactive about making things better, feeling like it makes her look worse for wallowing in regret and depression. Eventually, she decides that she's going to murder her soulmate, and then commit suicide. She keeps trying to convince herself that she is miserable because of her soulmate, and this is her only option. But, when it comes to it, she can't do it. Instead, she kisses her soulmate goodnight and tells her that she loves her, and then she lays in the bed... and stabs herself in the chest. When her soulmate wakes up the next morning and finds her, she's so inconsolable that she takes the knife out of her soulmate's chest and kills herself with it."

"We read that in class... and we had to go to see the play. It was in Russian, and they passed out language plugs beforehand. You came with me, right, Yuri? That was so sad..." Phichit sighed.

"Yeah... the soliloquy before the attempted murder was so beautiful, though. I can't remember it exactly, but she... she wanted to liken her soulmate to a poison that had filled her, but then she said that if her soulmate was poison, it was the most delicious poison in the world, and so maybe it was herself that was the poison, and she had to kill her soulmate because otherwise, their deaths would be slow and painful, something like that, right?" Yuri faced Victor.

Victor had reached his hand out of the bedroll, and let it just sit there between them. 

"That's right," Victor smiled. He started to recite the lines, but he was speaking them in Russian.

Yuri's eyes widened.

When he finished, Yuri grinned, and slowly, he put his hand on the floor between them as well. "I couldn't understand that at all, but it was beautiful."

"You're going to have to learn Russian, Yuri," Phichit snickered.

"Yeah," Yuri agreed shyly. "Well, with language plugs, that can be... only a matter of time, with i-immersion. But, I'd still have to learn to _read_ Russian... learn a whole new alphabet..." 

"Don't make it sound so bad," Victor laughed. "I have to learn _three_ so I can read Japanese, after all."

Yuri's heart started to pound. Had.. Victor already thought about this?

Victor's hand moved closer to Yuri by just a few millimeters. Yuri swallowed hard, and edged his fingers closer to Victor's, too.

"You can teach each other to read your own languages. How romantic, huh?" Phichit suggested.

"Ah... mm," Yuri agreed, but he couldn't look at Victor.

"I could certainly think of worse teachers," Victor sounded happy.

Yuri felt dizzy.

"I can't believe I'm about to say this after all the food my mom made, but... all this talking is making me hungry!" Phichit whined.

Yuri started to laugh, and he felt warmth in his belly because he could tell that Victor was laughing, too. " _How_ is that even possible? I don't think I'll be able to eat for days!"

"Well, I didn't even get any Moo Palo! Mom made sure _Yuri_ and his _handsome boyfriend_ had plenty, but then she ran out!" Phichit pouted. "It's been a while since I've had my mom's Moo Palo, too!"

"It was your idea to move out," Yuri reminded Phichit. "The Moo Palo was delicious."

"Isn't it hard to live under the same roof as your parents after being out on your own?" Phichit asked.

"My parents' home is a business," Yuri explained. "Even when I was little, they were busy with the onsen, so we were on our own a lot. And it's only worse now, since tourism is so bad."

"...Is their onsen going to close?" Phichit asked.

"Well, they don't talk to me about stuff like that, but I don't think so? Still, we're the only one left open." Victor had moved his hand closer to Yuri's again. Yuri wished he could see better so he could see the expression on Victor's face, but his glasses wouldn't make it any less dark. 

"There are always customers," Victor added.

"True. And Victor showing up did give us a nice bump, I think," Yuri added, shyly pushing his hand closer by just another few millimeters. 

"So, was this what living in Detroit was like? You two talking all night?" Victor asked.

"Mm, sometimes?" Yuri answered.

"Basically," Phichit agreed.

"Phichit-kun never shuts up," Yuri added.

"Hey!" Phichit laughingly objected.

"Remember the night you woke me up because you'd had a revelation about why hamsters like running on their wheel?" Yuri teased.

"It was only eleven thirty, I didn't know you were asleep! You're _never_ asleep that early! And I still think there are hamster sorcerers," Phichit defended himself.

Victor edged his hand closer to Yuri's. They were now really close to touching. "Eleven thirty is not early. So, you liked Detroit?"

"Mm, well," Yuri considered it while looking at Victor's hand. "There's a lot of musicians in Detroit. Lots of different kinds of music."

"The food was pretty bad, though," Phichit added.

Yuri wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Yeah... we had to learn how to cook just to avoid the fast food. I got so sick of burgers. ...And Italian."

Phichit started to laugh.

"Italian?" Victor was confused.

"Caio Caio would always offer to take us out to eat, but always, always, always just took us out for Italian. _Garlic is very good for the blood, and tomatoes are packed with antioxidants! There is no more perfect food than this!_ " Phichit did a fairly good imitation of Celestino.

"Caio Caio is Celestino?" Victor asked, chuckling. "But, do you not like Italian food?"

"I like it well enough, but all the time is..." Yuri grinned. His own imitation wasn't as good, but. " _Yuri, you've gained weight again! Let's go back on your no-carb diet. I'm going to take you out for dinner someplace where there is literally nothing but pasta and pizza on the menu so you'll have to make do with a side salad!_ "

Phichit was laughing so hard he was flailing his arms and legs as he kept his face in his pillow to try to muffle the noise.

"What was Celestino like as a coach?" Victor asked.

"...Pretty normal, I guess?" Yuri shrugged.

"Yeah, he's all right," Phichit was still snickering. "Though, I'm really enjoying training at home again, and getting my coaching in bite-sized bits."

"I don't even see how that would work," Yuri shook his head.

"You never listened to Caio Caio, anyway!" Phichit pointed out.

"What? Of course I did! Don't make it sound like I'm a bad student!" Yuri flushed, curling his fingers up at the tips.

" _Yuri, that's enough for today. Go home and get some rest._ So you go for a run and then come back to the rink for free skate to work on your edges. _Yuri, just forget about that performance, we need to focus on the next stage!_ So you rewatch your last spell five hundred more times, cataloging every last flaw. _Yuri, just keep it simple, only one quad. You need to focus on the meaning of the spell, not the technicals._ So you stick to your original jump plan."

Yuri pulled his hand back some, turning his face to his pillow. "Phichit-kun!" he moaned. Victor was only ever going to see the worst parts of him!

"Yuri knows himself best. I don't think it's a bad thing that he's strong willed," Victor said quietly, bumping his hand against Yuri's.

Yuri blinked, and then turned to look at Victor nervously. He was pretty sure Victor was smiling. He moved his pinky to rub against Victor's perfect hand.

"I like that about Yuri, too. But he doesn't make it easy for a coach. ...Are you two leaving tomorrow? Stay one more day, ok?" Phichit asked.

"We haven't even bought tickets yet... unless Victor did," Yuri looked at Victor.

"I didn't really buy any tickets. I had to charter a flight out here, so," Victor shrugged.

"You... what?!" Yuri leaned up, staring in wonder at Victor.

Phichit snorted, and then started to laugh again. "Of _course_ he did! That's settled, then! You're staying another day!"

Yuri sank into his bedding, rattled. Why did Victor go to such expense to see him? But he seemed so calm about it, so perhaps he just didn't think anything of that sort of thing.

☽☾

Yuri woke up with a crick in his neck and his hand held tightly by Victor. Sunlight was pouring into the room now, so Yuri could see it clearly, Victor's fingers wrapped around his own. His heart was pounding, but even still, he looked over and saw Victor smiling gently at him.

Without even thinking, he smiled back.

"It's too early to be lovey~dovey," Phichit complained. Yuri flushed, but he didn't pull his hand away from Victor, who was griping him even tighter. "Mmm, so what do you two want to do? We could go to the rink and practice. I'd love to get some jumping tips from Victor! Never hurts to get more practice!"

"Sounds good," Victor agreed, which made Yuri feel good. He... really liked that Victor and Phichit were getting along so well. Though, Phichit could get along with just about anyone.

"We should buy our plane tickets, though. I think my bank account is going to be suffering after this little... adventure. At least once, I can spare myself the expense of buying the ticket at the airport," Yuri sighed.

"You can use my phone, since you're an idiot who left his behind," Phichit offered.

"It wasn't his fault," Victor said quietly, squeezing Yuri's hand.

"Yeah... it was," Yuri flushed, looking down.

"Anyway, it makes more sense if I buy the tickets, since we want seats together. Right?" Victor tapped his finger on Yuri's wrist.

"Ah, but...! I can't have you paying for my seat... we can just pick seats next to each other." Yuri pulled his hand away, sitting up.

Victor made a face, but he sat up, too. "That's inconvenient. And anyway, it's not like it's that much."

"Victor..." Yuri started, but he didn't even know where to begin. Of course, to the most popular sorcerer in the world, it _wasn't_ that much. 

Phichit yawned noisily, and scratched his belly. "Ok, while you're doing that, I'm going to the bathroom. Why don't we have breakfast at the market? They'll have more to choose from than I could offer."

"Ah... sure, sounds good," Yuri agreed, edging closer to Victor who was already on the app to buy tickets.

"Ok!" Phichit shot up and put his feet on the ground.

"Vi-Victor, those are first class seats," Yuri pointed out nervously.

"Yes, of course they are," Victor replied, already paying for them.

"Of course," Phichit winked at Yuri.

Yuri's heart fell.

☽☾

Victor leaned back against the railing. Phichit finished his jump, managing to stay on his feet, but only just. He came over to Victor, looking hopeful and expectant.

"Mm... well..." he considered. "A jump is either going to succeed or fail before you even start to lift off. Be more mindful of the set-up, and less of the jump. Also, you need to be more disciplined with the position of your shoulders relative to your hips. Do more backspins, it will help. Also, standstill jumps off the ice... at least fifty a day." Well, that was typical for Russians. He was pretty sure it wasn't as common elsewhere.

Phichit's eyes went wide and glazed over. "Th-thanks. Let me take some video of you jumping, please!" he slapped his hands together and bent his head down.

"Ah!" Victor shouldn't have been surprised. Still, he checked quickly to see where Yuri was. He _had_ been practicing, of course, but nothing close to rigorously. "Sure, why not? Any jump in particular?" He was going to ask for the Flip, wasn't he?

Phichit looked like he was about to burst with excitement, but he was holding himself back. "...All of them!"

Ok, not exactly holding himself back. "I'll do a Loop and a Flip, so get ready." He took off, getting up to speed with a quick circuit. He did the Flip first, then another circuit, and then the Loop. Thankfully, he landed them both without difficulty. He glided around, and then he went back to where Phichit was.

Yuri was with him.

There was no reason for Victor to feel embarrassed, so he didn't. Still, he wondered how long Yuri was watching him... "So? You get that?"

"That was great!" Phichit was beaming. "You mind if I upload these?"

"Phichit-kun!" Yuri objected.

Victor just shrugged, though. "If you like."

"Great!" Phichit started to poke at his phone, his eyes gleaming.

Yuri just shook his head. 

Victor moved over to Yuri's side, and he poked him. "So? How is your practice going? You want any coaching?"

Yuri smiled at him shyly. So cute! Victor edged closer to him. "I-I don't really know..."

"Yuri's going to do a run-through for you, Victor! Right? And I'll film it for you!" Phichit happily declared.

"What? I am?" Yuri looked startled.

"You've been slacking off, having fun dancing halfway around the world... don't you think you need to show Victor that you haven't been regressing?" Phichit smirked.

That was dirty, but Yuri's red face was pretty cute, so Victor wasn't sure what to say.

"Fi~ne, fine, I'm going to hydrate first," Yuri sighed, and then he headed off the ice.

Victor wanted to follow him.

"Hurry back, I'll do a run through, too! You have to film me, Yuri!" Phichit called out. Yuri just waved his arm in response.

"You two sure are close!" Victor sighed dramatically. "I suppose I should say that I'm sorry for stealing him away from you..."

"Yeah, but you're no liar," Phichit winked at him. "I wouldn't have minded if Yuri and I had marked each other... or just continued the way things were. But, I think you'll make Yuri happy. That's all that matters to me. That Yuri is happy."

He was giving Victor a sharp, meaningful look.

Victor smiled to let him know that his message was received. "Testing me like that wasn't very nice, though. I was really worried about him! Did he... tell you anything about... how he got hurt?"

Phichit pressed his lips together in annoyance. "Mm. He was only blaming himself, but he'd be doing that no matter what. He tell you about it?"

"Most of it," Victor replied. Yuri was coming back from getting a bottle of water. 

A bell rang in the rink, and everyone started to get off the ice. Phichit jumped up to put his butt on the railing, and then swung his legs over. Victor grimaced, but then he followed suit. He wasn't that young anymore! Still, hockey players could do this, so...

Yuri came over and joined them, and he offered Victor the water. Yuri had already had some, so this was an indirect kiss, right??

"Are we still going to be able to skate?" Yuri asked Phichit.

"Sure, this is scheduled time for sorcerers to do their run-throughs. I signed us up to be last. I figured you should definitely go last, right?" Phichit winked at Yuri.

Yuri flushed, and looked away. "How many sorcerers are using this rink?" he asked.

"There's an ice dancing pair, two junior-level sorcerers, and a woman. But we only have to wait for two ahead of us, because not everyone is here," Phichit explained. 

Music started up, and a young girl who looked to be about twelve or thirteen started her spell. 

They watched her quietly for a moment. Victor handed Yuri back his water bottle and watched him take another sip from the corner of his eye. That was definitely an indirect kiss. This girl would still be considered a novice in Russia. Victor's respect for sorcerers from places without many resources for their craft was huge, and he realized that both Yuri and Phichit had this in common. They both had people to support them as they were growing up, but nothing like what Victor had. And yet, they were both competing in the same festivals as Victor now. And they were young.

"Yuri, I need your music," Phichit asked quietly.

"Oh, right," Yuri looked around. Victor quietly offered Yuri his phone. Yuri smiled, and then he scrolled around, finding the song to send it.

Phichit made sure he had it, and then he winked at Yuri. He went off to give their music to the control room.

Yuri looked at Victor, smiling nervously. "Your jumps looked really good. Of course," he added with a smirk.

"Thank you," Victor replied earnestly.

"You... you didn't mind working with Phichit-kun, right?" Yuri fussed.

"Of course not, he's an admirable young sorcerer. I always feel the most motivated myself when I know I can help motivate others, anyway," Victor smiled.

Yuri looked really interested, but Phichit came back. "Ok! One more now," he handed Yuri his phone. "Now, you have to take good video. Wait, should I give this to Victor?"

"I can take the video," Yuri complained, shaking his head. 

"Ok, just keep me in the center of the frame, and make sure you're zoomed in enough to see my limbs, but far enough away that you get all of my jumps," Phichit commanded Yuri.

"Just go get ready to skate," Yuri sighed.

Phichit looked more concerned about the video than his spell, but he went off to get ready.

"He has very high standards," Victor commented casually.

"You don't have to tell me," Yuri replied darkly. "Do you want to take over?" he looked at Victor, amused.

Victor grinned, holding up his hands to refuse. "I'll leave it to your capable hands. I'm sure you've got more experience."

"You'd probably just hire a cameraman," Yuri teased him. Though, he seemed to be watching Victor to be sure that he wasn't upset.

"It seems like it would be easier!" Victor played along, winking.

Yuri was smiling, so that made Victor happy.

The second skater left the ice, and Phichit got into position in the center. His music started, and Yuri looked surprised. He looked at Victor, and smiled, leaning in. He whispered, "He's always wanted to use this music," he told Victor.

"Ah," Victor nodded. He watched Phichit skate. He'd seen dozens of versions of spells to the song _Shall We Skate?_ , so when he first heard it come on, he thought little of it. However, the very fact that Phichit was Thai made everything he did fresh and new. Victor could easily imagine, too, that the song would have deeper significance to a Thai skater, and that always made creating beautiful colors easier. 

He looked at Yuri again, who was busy trying to get the video his friend wanted. Victor wasn't sure about his expression, though. Did it make him nervous to see his competition, or did he see Phichit as more of a friend than a competitor? And, of course, any actual festival was far off... They still had a lot of work to do with the spell Victor had choreographed for Yuri. It was much too soon to be worried about how the competition would fare, but Victor wasn't sure how Yuri saw things. 

Phichit stumbled on one of his jumps, but he got up immediately and continued as if nothing had happened. That was good, that was promising. 

The song came to an end, and Yuri quickly handed Victor the phone. He made his way out to the ice, and Phichit came back. He took the phone from Victor without a word, and started to record Yuri.

Victor could tell the difference in Yuri's spell instantly. There was something about the way he moved his arms, the confidence in his posture. It sent a shiver down Victor's spine, so he couldn't help answering Yuri's beckoning look with a whistle. Phichit grinned at him, but then he turned his attention back to recording Yuri. 

By the time he finished the first part of the step sequence, Yuri already had sparkling puffs of fuchia trailing behind his skates. Deep red and purple puffs sprinkled with brilliant blue splashes followed him after the twizzle, and when he went into his spin, there were electric pops of yellow and pink spinning with him. He stumbled on the quad Salchow, and that brought an end to the color until he went into his lunge, where deep, beautiful violet bloomed behind him. Then, he went into his jumps, and color started to really fill the rink.

Victor bit the inside of the his lip hard. There was chatter all around the rink as the other skaters were in awe of Yuri's performance. They were poking each other and taking pictures and video. Next to him, Phichit was quietly smiling, obviously pleased. Yuri went into his combination spin, and the colors were so bright, they were dizzying. It felt like Victor had to concentrate on breathing, like the air was heavy and charged. 

His soulmate was breathtaking.

Yuri finished, and there was applause all around, but he seemed to be oblivious to it. He came over to Phichit and Victor, running his hand through his hair. "I'm sure I landed that quad Sow in Italy," he muttered.

"Don't fret about it! You still made some amazing colors!" Phichit assured him, but he was also busy uploading the video.

Yuri shook his head, bending down as he grabbed the railing. "It wouldn't have been a full manifestation. I completely lost the flow..."

He was spiraling into self-flagellation. 

"Yuri," Victor said commandingly.

Shocked, Yuri stood up straight to look at Victor. "Ah! Yes!"

Victor surged forward and grabbed Yuri into his arms. Good, this felt good, and Yuri was too surprised to resist. Good. "It's like you don't even realize you _have_ a free leg half the time! And the triple Axel from the spread eagle... what was that, even? There was almost no height to it at all. We really have _so_ much to work on," he let that sink in.

Yuri wasn't alone. They were a team now. This was the choreography Victor made for Yuri. It would be like Victor was out there on the ice with him. 

He just needed to remember that.

Victor squeezed Yuri, and then he whispered into his ear, "You got inspired in Spain, didn't you? It feels like you've found your Eros."

Yuri made a cute noise, and he pressed his face against Victor's neck. Victor was aware that they were being watched, even photographed. Most notably, by Phichit, who was right next to them. It didn't seem like Yuri noticed, though. Yuri took a deep breath. "I... I got some advice from the leader of the dance troupe that... got me thinking. You could tell?"

"Yeah," Victor smiled. "You seduced me."

Yuri shuddered, and then he pulled back, staring at Victor. He was probably trying to gauge Victor's sincerity, so Victor just smiled gently at him.

It was true, though. 

"Ahh, your video is already getting likes, Yuri!" Phichit beamed.

"Ph-Phichit-kun!" Yuri gasped, and he pulled out of Victor's arms.

Victor sighed.

☽☾

They were being led up to the VIP level of the club. Phichit grinned as he followed the staffer up the steps. He _probably_ would have gotten special treatment if he was on his own, since he was quickly becoming the Hope of Thailand. However... it never hurt to have Victor Nikiforov in your party.

Thanks to his best friend, Phichit now had _connections_.

They were led to the uppermost level and a choice seating area with a good view of the stage and the dance floor. Phichit was mildly annoyed that Victor made sure to get between himself and Yuri, but he let that annoyance slip away immediately. This was probably better for Yuri. A waitress came right away to take their orders. Victor ordered a Sabai Sabai, and it didn't surprise Phichit that Victor would be familiar with their local specialties. Yuri looked nervous, and ordered a beer. Phichit was pretty sure he knew what Yuri was thinking. Phichit, on the other hand, wasn't worried about getting a little drunk, so he ordered a Sang Som rum. 

Yuri smirked at him. "It's weird hearing you order a drink... I missed your birthday, didn't I? I'm sorry!"

"You _did_ ," Phichit winked at him. "You owe me a present!"

"What if I just buy you this drink?" Yuri answered dryly.

"Cheap!" Phichit complained, making a face.

"Wait, did you just turn twenty? So, you're even younger than Yuri," Victor looked from Phichit to Yuri.

"Don't I look younger than him?" Phichit batted his eyelashes at Yuri.

Yuri just stuck his tongue out at Phichit.

"You both are making me feel old," Victor sighed with deep Russian drama.

"Ah! But... you don't age at all," Yuri blushed.

Victor blinked, and then he blushed.

Phichit quietly slipped his phone out. This was going to be a great night for pictures, wasn't it?

"Th-the two of you were roommates in Detroit, though, right? So how young were you when you left home?" Victor asked Phichit, trying to cover his astonishment.

"I wasn't Yuri's first," Phichit replied, fully aware of how saucy he sounded. Yuri looked like he might sink into the velvet of his squarish seat. "I went to Detroit when I was seventeen. Yuri and I were roommates for almost three years."

"Mm, now I'm curious about Yuri's first," Victor replied coolly, watching Yuri from the corner of his eye. He sounded flirtatious but also possessive.

It was definitely exciting.

Yuri, however, looked like he might completely shut down. "V-V-V-V-V-Vi-Victor! M-m-my first _roommate_ was an older sorcerer under Celestino. H-he got injured, and decided to retire." Yuri was pouting cutely.

Phichit quickly got a picture, but he didn't have time to upload it.

They were invaded. 

"Yuri!" A blonde woman in a blue sundress plopped down next to Yuri, throwing her arms around him. Phichit rolled his eyes. Victor would wish that he let Yuri sit between them... "I saw from Phichit's posts that you were in Bangkok, I'm so glad I found you!"

"Ellie!" Yuri tried to repel her solely with the power of his disinterest. It wasn't working. "I didn't know you were here, too. Are all of Celestino's students here now?" Yuri looked at Phichit, like he had somehow caused this woman to be draped all over him.

"Ehhhh, Yuri doesn't follow me on Instagram, does he?" Ellie sighed. "No, that idiot Joshua injured his ankle. Can you believe it, he went _snowboarding_ with his cousins and he got hurt. What kind of sorcerer _does_ that?" She rolled her eyes.

"Oh, um," Yuri edged further away from Ellie, consequently getting closer to Victor. "Ah, Ellie, this is, well, obviously this is Victor Nikiforov."

"Hi!" he smiled with practiced and perfected charm. Phichit wanted to smile just like that for the press. 

"Victor, Ellie was one of my rinkmates in Detroit. She's a pairs skater," he added.

"A pairs skater without a pair," she put her head on Yuri's shoulder. Yuri looked like a spider just started to crawl up his arm, it was hilarious. "I guess it's just as well. He'd be leaving me most likely when he got married, anyway," she pouted.

"Ah! Are Joshua and Marie getting married?" Yuri asked, looking happy.

"Marie? God, no! Oh my god, Yuri, you really haven't been around. And we've all missed you so much!" she squeezed Yuri.

That Ellie sure was clever.

"No, Marie dumped him. One day, she just up and tells him, _if we were soulmates, our mark would have appeared by now. I can't settle for someone who isn't my soulmate this young._ And that was it. He was so devastated, it took me like a week to drag him out of bed," she made it sound like her partner's heartbreak was all about how inconvenient it was for her. "Joke's on her, though. She's single, and he met someone new like two weeks later, and now he's getting married."

"Wow, they're soulmates?" Yuri asked.

"No, they're just stupid in love. Her name is Hannah, she's an apprentice designer. She left the design house she was working with, though, to stay with that idiot," Ellie shrugged. "I mean, I get it. How often does someone meet their soulmate, really? When you find the right person, there's no point in dragging your feet. But, I guess the rumors about Victor going to Japan to make a spell for you were true, huh? That's so exciting!"

"It's funny that you segued like that," Phichit snickered to himself.

"Hm?" she looked at Phichit oddly, still clinging to Yuri.

"It's just that, well, Yuri _did_ meet his soulmate recently..." Phichit winked.

"What?!" she looked at Yuri, horrified.

"Hi again!" Victor beamed, holding out his right hand to show off their mark.

"No way!" Ellie grabbed Yuri's left hand and checked the mark. "Oh, my god! Yuri! Congratulations!" she laughed. "I guess it does make sense, after all."

"Why do people keep saying that?" Yuri grumbled just barely loud enough to be heard. " _How_ does it make sense?" 

"Well," Ellie smirked. "Who _else_ would be your soulmate? Honestly? If you _have_ a soulmate, _of course_ it's Victor Nikiforov."

Victor tried to put his arm around Yuri's shoulders, but Ellie wasn't letting go of Yuri's arm.

"Didn't you date some guy once because you thought he looked like Victor?" she teased him.

"What?! No! That's not true!" Yuri protested.

Phichit snickered. "I heard about that! It was before I got to Detroit!"

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" Yuri shook his head wildly.

"You were all smitten, like... _Look at him! Isn't he just like Victor?_ " Ellie imitated a love-sick Yuri very badly.

"Noooooo," Yuri turned to look at Victor from behind his fingers. "It'snottrue! I-I only thought he looked like you _from far away_ , and only because of his _hair_. He had long hair that was more white-blond than silver, but it was in a pony tail so _from far away_ and _from the back_ , he looked a _little_ like you! Just a little! And we didn't _date_ , we j-just went out, like, twice. You'd be really offended if you saw him and thought he was supposed to look like you, he wasn't _nearly_ as good-looking."

"And you dumped him because his feet were stinky, if I remember correctly," Ellie added unhelpfully.

"I didn't dump him because we weren't going out and..." Yuri snapped, and then he looked at Victor fearfully.

Fortunately, Victor just looked amused.

"And then there was that time you went on a date with that guy who got mad and threw you out because you wouldn't stop talking about Victor," Ellie tried uselessly to contain her laughter.

"Thatneverhappened!" Yuri protested.

"I remember that! I was there for that, that totally did happen!" Phichit helped.

Yuri just gaped at Phichit in total betrayal. 

"That poor boy. He'd spent weeks working up the courage to ask you out..." Ellie sighed wistfully.

" _Itneverhappened!_ " Yuri insisted. He faced Victor desperately. "He asked me if I wanted to watch the European Championships with him. _That's not a date!_ How would that be a date? And it was the year Victor made his second physical manifestation, it was a ten thousand point performance! Of _course_ I was excited and talking about Victor, everyone was!" Yuri pouted at Phichit.

Phichit, though, knew all too well how Yuri could go on and on about Victor even without a physical manifestation so...

" _All I was telling him_ was how I had been there at World's for your first physical manifestation," Yuri sighed.

"Wait, you were?" Victor perked up.

"Y-yeah," Yuri smiled shyly. "I competed in the Junior Festival that year, and they let us stay for the Senior competition."

Victor's smile was so authentic, Phichit was sure that none of his fans had ever seen it before. 

"Ahh, I really wanna see one in person! Well, I want to _create_ one, but first I need a partner," Ellie rolled her eyes. "What's that like, seeing it?" she pinched Yuri's arm.

Yuri gave her an annoyed look, but then he went back to looking at Victor. Phichit quickly snuck a photo, but he had no intention of posting _that_. 

"I-It was... well, _magical_ ," he smiled goofily at Victor, and Victor was just staring in wide-eyed adoration at him. Phichit took another picture, trying to get them both in the frame. "There were millions of pieces of solid light just fluttering all around. We all got covered in them. There were stars and little crescent moons and I thought I saw a few that looked like puppies, but my friend said I was just seeing things."

"And then they just... dissolve?" Ellie asked.

"It's more like they fizzle away," Yuri tried to make a fizzling gesture with his fingers.

"So, what's it like to _make_ that kind of spell?" Ellie asked Victor.

"Mm," Victor was still looking at Yuri adoringly. "I don't know how to describe it. It's the best feeling in the world. But, that's obvious," he sighed.

"Ooooh I _really_ need a new partner!" Ellie whined, putting her head down on Yuri's shoulder. Yuri and Victor had matching looks on their faces. "Maybe I should find a female partner this time! Some nice, tall, burly girl to throw me around on the ice! What do you think?" she poked Yuri's tummy.

Yuri made a face for a second before he answered. "I'm sure people would love to see that."

"Do you know any gorgeous Amazon-like women who are looking for partners?" she tugged on Yuri's arm.

"Why are you asking me?" Yuri put her off roughly.

"After Bangkok, I'm going to Europe, so maybe I'll shop for a sexy partner there," she sighed wistfully.

"Yuri just got back from Europe," Phichit cheerfully chipped in, just to see Yuri glare at him some more.

"What were you doing in Europe?" Ellie asked.

"Running away," Phichit answered thoughtfully. "And dancing in a festival."

"Oh! I wanna see, do you have a video?" she shook Yuri forcefully.

"Of course I don't," Yuri replied rudely.

Phichit bit his lip. Victor had shown the video _he_ had to Phichit and his family yesterday, but no one was offering to tell Ellie that.

Just then, the headliner dj for the night took over and greeted the nightclub's crowd. The music started to pump twice as loud as before and the house lights went down for the main event light show. It would be a lot harder to talk now, so Phichit took a sip of his drink while he looked down at the dance floor. They all watched for the first song, which just set the mood. When they transitioned into the second song, though, Ellie jumped up.

"I love this song! Yuri, come dance with me!" Ellie pulled on Yuri's arm.

"Eh? No, I..." Yuri objected.

"You can't tell me you can't or won't dance, let's go, let's go!" she urged, giving him no choice.

Victor watched them with narrowed eyes.

Smirking, Phichit sneakily moved over to take advantage of Victor's distraction to get a selfie with him. He was going to get so many views on this one...!

"Are you going to post that?" Victor asked calmly.

"Aha, I was going to..." Phichit admitted.

"At least give me some notice," Victor pouted at him cutely. Victor Nikiforov was cute. This was amazing information. He ran his fingers through his hair and moved closer to Phichit.

Phichit set up again, and smiled with Victor. Victor's smile was like the one he used for the press... but it was a good one for the fans. He quickly went about posting it. _Just hanging out with #VictorNikiforov at the club_ , and then he picked out an appropriate emoji.

"Do me a favor?" Victor asked, downing his drink.

Phichit looked at him curiously.

"Take some pictures of Yuri and me dancing," he winked at Phichit.

He stood up to take his soulmate back from the annoying girl.

Phichit smirked, and scooted over to a better vantage point. 

Victor smoothly slid in right behind Yuri, running his hand down Yuri's flank. Yuri was surprised at first, but Victor led him in the dance moves, and he just flowed right into it, abandoning Ellie to wiggle his bum against Victor. Victor turned Yuri around, and then it was obvious that everything in the world disappeared except the two of them. Phichit felt his heart swelling for his best friend.

They fit perfectly.

☽☾

Yuri was laughing so hard he couldn't stand up straight or walk. Victor _should_ be worried about whether they were bothering neighbors or something like that, but he genuinely didn't care. After dancing until the club closed for the night, they were on their way back to Phichit's apartment, and Yuri was _happy_ , actually happy. This might well be one of the best nights of Victor's life.

Yuri leaned against a stoplight while they waited to cross the street. He was catching his breath. What had even set him off? Victor wasn't sure, but he knew it wasn't funny enough to cause such laughter. It made Victor grin from ear to ear.

It was good to know that Yuri could be this happy.

"Hey, I forgot!" Phichit suddenly said. "What about Ellie? Did we leave her behind?"

"I think she met someone at the club," Yuri wheezed out, his head leaning against his arm. 

"...Eh, I'm sure she'll be fine," Phichit shrugged.

"She certainly seems able to take care of herself," Victor added coolly.

Yuri's shoulders started to shake. "I'd try to tell you that she isn't normally as bad as she was tonight, but she is. Always. So pushy."

Phichit bounced against Yuri, causing Yuri to laugh more. "Pu~shy, huh. Mm, if Yuri has no interest in someone, then any time they talk to him, they're being annoying! If Yuri is interested in someone, then no matter what they do, it's ok with him!"

"What, you're making me sound terrible!" Yuri laughed. "Don't you find her annoying?"

"She doesn't bother me so much, but then, _I'm_ not the one she's nursing a crush on," Phichit snickered.

Yuri pushed Phichit away. "Yeah, right. She's like that all the time," Yuri yawned cutely, like Makkachin when he'd been playing fetch for long enough to catch up to him. The light changed and they started across the street. "You think everyone has a crush on me," Yuri pouted.

"Not everyone, just the people who do," Phichit teased.

"Right, right," Yuri rolled his eyes. "But since there isn't anyone like that..."

Wait. What?

Phichit winked at Victor. "I don't think you can properly say that anymore," he snickered.

Yuri turned to look at them, flushed, and then turned back and walked faster.

Wait. Yuri... really didn't realize? But that girl had been flirting with him! Right in front of Victor!!

Was there a limit on how oblivious someone could be?

More importantly... did Yuri not believe that Victor was romantically interested in him? How could that be?

They got to the other side of the street, and Yuri slowed down to let them catch up, stretching out by reaching up to the sky. "A-at any rate, that club had a pretty good dj! It reminded me of that one club in Detroit. The one that didn't suck. That was fun!"

"Yeah, I thought you'd like it," Phichit smirked.

Yuri was still hearing music in his head, it seemed. As he moved along, his hips were swaying with a beat. "There was a nice mix of older songs, too," he smiled contentedly.

"Some older things are worth keeping around," Victor agreed loftily.

Yuri looked at Victor over his shoulder. "You don't say," he said, and his tone was just dripping with playful lust.

Victor was tormented by the mixed signals. They'd just spent the last few hours pressed together dancing. As long as they could be lost in the music, Yuri could ignore his inhibitions, it seemed. It was almost as effective as alcohol. But, Yuri had _just_ said that no one had a crush on him. Did Yuri even realize he was flirting with Victor?

It didn't really matter, because they weren't alone. But Victor wished that Thai clubs stayed open all night long. Watching Yuri move and not be able to think of an excuse to put his hands on Yuri's waist... it was torture.

They got to the next intersection, and Yuri started through but Phichit stopped. He cleared his throat, and Yuri turned to look at him. "Hmm. Do you know the way back to my apartment?" Phichit asked archly.

"Yes," Yuri answered immediately. "Wait. Is this the wrong way?"

Phichit smirked, and then he winked at Victor. He smiled brightly. "I am going to prove _once again_ that I am the best best friend ever and that you don't appreciate me enough and that is criminal." He pulled something out of his pocket with a flourish. "Ta Da Daaaah!" he let his house key dangle from his finger.

"Um," Yuri stared it. Victor couldn't blame him, but maybe this was some sort of _thing_ between them?

"I figure the two of you could use some _privacy_ ," Phichit shrugged. "And mom is always thrilled when I spend the night. Plus, this way I'll be able to bring back a ton of food for your going home breakfast feast."

"Phichit-kun, that's not necessary," Yuri started, shaking his head.

However, Phichit put the key into Yuri's hand and closed Yuri's fingers around it. "Now, I've been thinking about this for a few hours, and I've come to a decision." He took a deep, dramatic breath and put his hands on Yuri's shoulders. "I'm ok with you two having sex in my room. But just, be super lowkey about it, ok? You know, change the sheets in the morning, clean up, don't leave any obvious garbage. And let's just _not_ speak of it."

Yuri turned bright red. "Ph-Ph-Phichit-kun!" 

Phichit laughed and kissed Yuri's cheek.

Right in front of Victor!

"I'll call before I come over in the morning! Make sure to answer! He's hard to wake up in the morning, Victor, but I'm leaving him in your care!" Phichit waved goodbye to them exaggeratedly as he walked backwards toward his family home. Laughing still, he turned and took off running.

Yuri still had his jaw on the sidewalk.

Even Victor felt embarrassed, but he also felt excited. Dancing with Yuri had been wonderful, so naturally he _did_ want to be alone with him. Yuri's friend was very astute. However, Victor had to be careful not to repeat the mistakes he made in Hasetsu. He smiled at Yuri. "You have a good friend."

"Ah... well, yes, he is," Yuri flushed, looking away. He turned to head back toward Phichit's apartment. "He can be really embarrassing, though! S-saying th-that sort of thing... and all those stories they were telling!" 

It might have been Victor's imagination, but it felt like Yuri was avoiding looking at him. It would be easier if they could always be on the dance floor, perhaps... "I didn't think they were that embarrassing, though. I enjoyed hearing them. It gave me a different view of you... I've heard all sorts of things from everyone back in Hasetsu."

"I guess you have," Yuri grumbled. His shoulders hunched, and he looked even more like he didn't want to look at Victor. 

Ah... of course, Yuri would be thinking of... "For example," Victor cleared his throat, trying to remedy the situation, "your sister told me a cute story about how you stood up for her honor against a nasty boy spreading rumors." 

Yuri actually looked at him. Good. And, he looked genuinely surprised. Maybe he didn't know what that had meant to Mari? "Huh. Yeah, that... well, _defending her honor_... it wasn't that long after that she made me go with her to buy a pregnancy test. We took the train two towns down so no one would recognize us, but she still made _me_ go up to the counter to pay for it," he sighed.

Victor couldn't help laughing. He could see Mari doing that! 

Yuri looked at Victor cautiously, but he was standing up straighter at least. "I guess this isn't much different than the weird things I know about you from interviews and stuff, but it still feels kind of strange to think that you know stuff like that about me."

Victor shrugged, not sure what to say. He had been so happy when they were marked, but he was finally seeing what a strange situation they were in. "If it makes you feel any better, it all just made me more interested in getting to know you better myself anyway."

Yuri's eyes widened, and his cheeks pinked again. Good, good, that was exactly the reaction he was hoping for! 

"And you know... I once dated a guy just because he looked like me, too," Victor offered loftily. 

Yuri stopped dead in his tracks, and Victor worked hard to repress his smile.

"It's true," he nodded, acknowledging Yuri's puzzled but interested expression. "He was a stage actor, and I'd heard that he was becoming popular because people thought he looked like me. So, I decided I wanted to meet him and pursue him. I thought it would be fun to see what it was like to date myself. It didn't last long for me, either, though. Turns out," he sighed dramatically. "I was actually a pretty terrible kisser."

Yuri ended up snorting from trying to choke back his laughter, and that made him laugh harder, and he was back to laughing so hard he could barely stand up. Victor's heart pounded. Yuri looked up at him with amused eyes. "I guess I... can't really say for sure, but... I really doubt that's true."

"Ooh! Are you offering to do some sampling for me?" Victor teased, moving closer to Yuri. It would be so easy, _so easy_ , to push Yuri against the building they were standing next to, run his hands over Yuri's body, press his lips to Yuri's...

Victor had to wait for a cue, though. He had to be sure that they were on the same page.

Yuri's ears were bright red. He looked away, and then he looked back at Victor. "Th-that is... I-I mean... I-I'm not really the best... I don't really have enough experience to be a g-good judge, probably..." Yuri stammered.

Victor stepped minutely closer. "Are you saying... you _are_ interested in kissing me?" Victor asked.

Yuri blinked, taken aback. "Of course I.... I mean, that's not even... I don't think anyone would really..." Yuri was staring at Victor as he failed to finish even one sentence.

Victor moved closer still, and touched Yuri's chin, gently caressing Yuri's lip with his thumb. His whole body was aching for Yuri, but he was still waiting for that cue, any cue. "It's all right if it's... still too soon," Victor said, surprised by how low and husky his voice sounded.

Yuri blinked, and he blinked again. His lips parted, but even though his eyes had the look of someone who had a lot to say, no words were getting past his lips. 

Victor moved closer, and now he could feel Yuri's breath. He licked his lips slowly.

Yuri's eyelids fluttered closed, and his lips were poised for a kiss.

That was a cue!

Victor moved in, just touching their lips together. Just touching, but then he took a little taste. He moved closer, and Yuri groaned unconsciously, and Victor's arms snaked around Yuri's body, and Yuri's hand was on Victor's chest, and Victor was afraid that his heart was pounding hard enough for Yuri to feel it, and what about Yuri's glasses? Victor thought he was bumping them, and he didn't want to make it uncomfortable for Yuri. He also wanted to keep kissing Yuri.

There was a muffled sound, and Yuri's fingers grasped at Victor's shirt, and then Yuri snapped back, like he was waking up from a dream. He was staring at Victor with wide, panicked eyes, and Victor was uncertain. Should he apologize? Should he tell a joke? Should he move in and kiss Yuri again?

"Wait..." Yuri sounded breathless. Oh, that sounded good. "Aren't public displays of affection frowned on in Thailand?"

Victor blinked. "I... I think you're right..." He felt dazed. He should know protocol better than this... all he could really think about were Yuri's lips.

Yuri smiled, and then he laughed quietly, and Victor couldn't resist that smile, so he was smiling, too. "We should... get back to Phichit-kun's place... I guess..." Yuri looked away.

Victor wasn't sure that meant there would be more kissing or not. They turned to start walking again, and Victor took Yuri's hand. Yuri looked at their joined hands in wonder, and he didn't pull away.

This really was the best night ever!

Yuri kept looking at him shyly as they walked. It was making Victor feel things he'd never felt before and could barely recognize. When they were waiting for the light to cross the street to get to Phichit's building, Yuri absently rubbed his thumb against Victor's hand. Victor had to bite the inside of his lip to keep from laughing with happiness.

They got to Phichit's door, and Yuri nearly panicked before he realized the key was in his other pocket. Victor would have told him, but he hadn't realized that Yuri was looking for the key. He'd been lost in thought thinking about how they were going to be alone in an apartment and spending the night together.

When they were inside, Yuri locked the door soundly and then kicked off his shoes. Victor had to untie his, so he took longer. Yuri nervously went over to where Phichit had his hamsters. Yuri bent down to check on them, so Victor followed, putting his face right next to Yuri's. Yuri looked at him in surprise, and Victor smiled to put Yuri at ease, hopefully. The hamsters were fast asleep, and even giant people coming over to stare at them didn't stir them. "They're really cute. I want to hold one!" Victor said quietly, so as not to wake them.

Yuri smiled, too, and it made Victor's breath catch. "Phichit-kun will _love_ to cover you in hamsters. He's crazy about the furballs. ...Their feet feel weird when they move on your skin," he warned Victor, making a face.

Victor's shoulders shook as he tried not to laugh. 

Yuri seemed more confident, so he added, "Dogs are better."

"Of course," Victor agreed.

For a moment, they just stared into each other's eyes. And then, Yuri suddenly became nervous, and he straightened up, stepping back. "Ah... I must be really sweaty. We danced for so long..." his expression got more distant, and then he flushed. "I'll take a shower... ah! Unless, do you want to use the bathroom first?"

"No, go right ahead," Victor beamed. They were... still a long ways away from sharing a shower. So. 

"O-okay. I won't be long," Yuri promised.

Victor nodded, and then he was alone with the hamsters. He was really tempted to reach inside and poke one, just to feel their fur... He went to the kitchen and got two glasses of water. They hadn't had much to drink, but staying hydrated was still important. He went into the bedroom, and set the glasses down on the table next to Phichit's bed. He went to his luggage to get out his toiletries bag and fresh underwear. Yuri came out wearing his black boxers and a black t-shirt. The shirt wasn't actually necessary... 

"All yours," Yuri said, and Victor wasn't sure if he was embarrassed or if his skin was flushed from the shower.

"Great!" Victor nodded, pausing to think. Should he wear more clothes to bed than normal? He _hated_ being hot in bed... though, usually he was hot in bed because he was cuddling Makkachin. Still. It was warm in Bangkok. But, he didn't want to make Yuri nervous.

"Um, so, you can have the bed, and I'll take the floor," Yuri said while pondering the bed and the floor.

"That's not necessary, the bed's big enough for us both," Victor said, and then he wanted to kick himself. Again. "Um. If you don't mind sharing. Otherwise, I can take the floor!"

"No, no, no, no, no," Yuri hastily shook his head. "I can't ask you to sleep on the floor!"

"I slept on the floor last night," Victor reminded him. Yuri paled, like he was being reminded of a grave sin. "It's fine, it's fine!"

"N-no, well, I'm more used to it, so..." Yuri shrugged.

Victor opted for just the underwear. "Hey, when you first got here, where did you sleep?" Victor asked. Since the two of them had been lovers... even casually... it would make sense that they would share the bed. At least, it was what Victor assumed.

Yuri stared at Victor, confused. "I slept on the floor, of course."

Victor was more relieved than he thought he'd be. "Then you've already slept on the floor two nights in row, plus all the traveling you've done... You take the bed and I'll take the floor." Yuri's eyes widened in distress, and Victor responded with his brightest, more cheerful smile. "I'll be right back, then!"

He went to quickly shower, brush his teeth, and apply his night cream. Just the very basic basics. He went back out to find Yuri sitting on the bed, curled up right against the wall. There was no bedding on the floor.

Victor tried not to show how excited he was.

"Um, well, I guess... the bed is pretty... it's not huge, but... I don't want to make you sleep on the floor, so..." Yuri shifted from side to side and avoided looking at Victor.

Victor should have gotten more clothes to sleep in, obviously...

"Er, we're probably tired from all that dancing anyway, so," Yuri looked at Victor questioningly.

"Of course," he assured Yuri, and Yuri relaxed somewhat. At least he wasn't holding his legs quite so tightly. Victor sat down on the very edge of the bed and Yuri managed to smile nervously at him. 

"Phichit-kun said... some weird stuff, but..." Yuri started.

"We still have a ways to go before _that_ ," Victor agreed, and Yuri relaxed more. Victor turned off the light, and he waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. The window was open a crack, and even though there were shades drawn, the lights from the street cast a strange glow on the room. Yuri stretched out on the bed, so Victor did as well.

The bed was not that big. They had their heads on opposite end of the pillow, and Yuri's body heat was palpable. Victor looked at Yuri, and he felt like he could just lay there and watch Yuri all night long.

Yuri was smiling shyly at Victor. "It's so strange... I never would have thought I'd actually be _this_ close to you. I'm so used to thinking of you as being... like, a light years above me."

"That's an exaggeration, certainly," Victor grinned. "We're not that different. And, despite it all, I _am_ just an ordinary man, after all."

"There's nothing ordinary about you," Yuri said quietly but firmly. Victor wasn't sure what to say, but then Yuri continued. "I've admired you for so long, and... just been such a fanboy, too. I always knew that, like, the Victor Nikiforov I knew from interviews and stuff was just a part of you, but it's so hard to reconcile that with... with the man I danced all night with," Yuri flushed.

Victor felt his cheeks get warm, too. He was inordinately pleased that Yuri was his fan. There wasn't really any way for him to express that, though. He put his hand down between their faces, trying to keep himself from reaching out to touch Yuri. "Ask me anything." Yuri blinked, looking confused. "The only way to reconcile it... is to get to know me better, right? So... there must be things about me you've wondered about, or just... anything you want to know. Ask me, I'll tell you anything." He really had no idea what to expect, but he wanted Yuri to feel at ease. 

"Oh! Um, well..." Yuri never broke eye contact, so Victor had the feeling that Yuri knew exactly what he wanted to ask. "Uh... what... what about... your family?"

Victor blinked.

"Y-you never talk about them, so. I don't know... anything about your family, so... Um! But if you'd rather not talk about it!" Yuri added hurriedly.

"It's not that I don't want to tell you about it, I just hadn't thought about it." It was true that Victor never talked about his family publicly, but Yuri was his soulmate, so.

Yuri... had to know.

"Well. I'm an only child. My mother is a dancer. She's only a five hundred color sorcerer, but she danced with the Bolshoi Ballet, that's incredibly rare. She left home when she was very young to join the ballet, and she never really had any contact with her family after that, so I never knew them. It was hard for her, growing up in the Ballet, they were always harsh with her. She was a hard worker and put in twice the rehearsal so she wouldn't hold them back, but she still. She'd tell me horror stories, directors and choreographers who put her through hell, making her starve herself, expecting her to sacrifice everything for the dance. But, even though she would only talk about how hard it was, she was always so proud of every production she was a part of. She's a beautiful woman. Very tall, with dark red hair and beautiful hazel eyes.

"My... father... is most likely dead." Yuri's eyes widened, and Victor smiled to make it seem like it was fine. "I mean, he must be, because otherwise he would have come forward to ask for money, or appeared on some talk show or something to cash in on me. He abandoned us when I was six. He was always..." Victor sighed. "He was probably a con artist who was only interested in taking advantage of my mother for her money. He wanted her because she was already broken down by the Ballet, so she was an easy target, plus she's so beautiful. They were never married, but he moved in with her right away, apparently. I'm not even positive that his name was really Nikiforov, because I've tried searching for him and I've always come up empty. And, Viktor Nikiforov was a famous hockey player, so... there's a chance my whole life might just be a really bad joke." He winked at Yuri, but Yuri just seemed shocked. "Yakov's ex-wife, Lilia, was a close friend of my mother's, and she always hated my father with a passion. She'd tell my mother how horrible he was, and how he was cheating on her, and how he was just using her... but, I think that just made it harder for my mother to break it off. She didn't want to admit that Lilia was right and she was wrong. Anyway, after he took off... my mother... she had... a mental breakdown, I guess? They said she tried to kill herself, but I think she might have just gotten mixed up with her pills. She was... taking a lot of them at the time, and she _did_ get easily confused..."

Yuri reached out and covered Victor's hand with his own.

Victor smiled, looking at Yuri's small and beautiful hand. "Anyway, they put her in a hospital, and I went to live with Yakov. I think I'm probably the reason that he and his wife split up," Victor admitted. "She hated me, too, because... well... I look just like my father. We have the same face, the same eyes, the same hair..." he sighed.

Yuri squeezed his hand.

"I guess that's partly why I grew my hair out, hoping that I'd look _less_ like him, but... it didn't really matter. It was several years before my mother was out of the hospital, but I got to visit her all the time. I never really... went back to living with her, though. It was _decided_ that my mother didn't need the _added stress_ , since she could barely take care of herself. But. I think it might have... helped her to have someone around who unconditionally loved her..." He didn't really want to go down that road, though. What was done was done. "Anyway... as soon as I was making money from festivals, I bought my mother a house of her own, outside of St. Petersburg, in the Petrodvortsovy District."

"There's an Imperial Palace there, isn't there?" Yuri asked.

Victor smiled at both Yuri's knowledge and excitement. "Yes! They call it Russia's Versailles. The house I bought her is more like a cottage, but she has everything she needs. After I went to the senior division, I was able to hire a nurse companion, and someone to cook and clean for her. The three of them are like a little family. I used to be afraid that the media would find her, but it's been long enough and they've never bothered her. She has a different last name than I do, so. Her name is Maya Makarova. She's not good with crowds anymore... ...Actually, now that I think about it, Yakov probably did a lot to keep the media away from her, too." He should have thought of that ages ago.

"Probably," Yuri agreed. "Do you... think she'll want to... meet me?"

Victor had to physically restrain himself from grabbing a hold of Yuri. Instead, he leaned forward and kissed Yuri's fingers. "I'm _sure_ she will! She'll love you. She loves watching videos of dancers and sorcerers. She'll love the way you move to the music, just like I do. Well, maybe not _just_ like I do," he teased.

Yuri grinned and rolled his eyes. Good. "So that's... why you cut your hair, then? Because..."

"Mm, well, it was a factor, but... It was actually much more petty of me than that," Victor shrugged, grinning. "I overheard some older skater complaining that I was so popular just because I was _androgynous_ , and my fans would move on to the _next fad_ when I grew up and looked _more like a man_. So, naturally, I promptly went and chopped off all my hair," Victor laughed self-depreciatingly. "I liked it more than I thought I would, though. After so many years with it long... I'd gotten really tired of people touching my hair."

"Noted," Yuri said, but he was looking at Victor's hair...

Victor's throat went dry. "That doesn't apply to you," he amended quickly. "You can touch my hair as much as you like," he felt like he was begging, but that was fine.

He wasn't above begging.

Yuri looked embarrassed, but cautiously, he reached out, and then his fingertips touched Victor's hair. With painfully delicious slowness, Yuri carefully raked his fingers through Victor's hair, pushing it back. He smiled at Victor, and Victor thought he might die right there from bliss. "Your hair is so soft and smooth..."

Unable to stop himself, Victor reached out and roughly buried his fingers in Yuri's hair. "And your hair is so thick and shiny!"

Yuri turned his face so only one eye was visible, but he was watching Victor intently. "You... don't you... um, have anything you want to ask me?"

Yuri was changing the subject, but that was fine. Reluctantly, Victor pulled his hand away from Yuri's wonderful hair. "Oh, yeah! What happened to that cute little puppy from your family photo albums? He was like a small Makkachin!" Victor would have wanted to meet him!

Yuri's eye widened, and he smiled weakly at Victor. "Ah... he... He... died. In early December."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Victor blinked. And then he sat up. "Yuri! Early December, that's...!"

"It wasn't Vicchan's fault I did so poorly! He was a good dog... I wasn't even with him for the last five years, I didn't go to see him when he was sick," Yuri regretted.

Victor wasn't sure what to say. But, Yuri was in pain, so. "If Makkachin ever dies, I know I won't be able to make any color for... maybe _years_."

Yuri didn't say anything, and then he looked at Victor. And then he smiled sort of crookedly, and turned to face Victor more fully. "Um... did you just say... _if_ Makkachin ever...?"

"Dogs shouldn't have to die!" Victor pouted. He put his head back down on the pillow, sighing. "He's still very much a puppy!"

Yuri was trying hard not to laugh. "He certainly is still active and energetic," he agreed.

Victor nodded, assuring himself. "That's right. So..."

Yuri's shoulders were shaking, and Victor was grateful for it. Too grateful to think too much more about his precious poodle's mortality. Something else was sticking in his head, but it was just out of reach. And then, he remembered. "Did you say your dog's name was Vicchan? That's what your mom calls me! Although, at first, I thought she was calling me Vitya." That was sort of funny!

Yuri's eyes widened and he stilled. His cheeks turned bright red, and he cleared his throat. "Oh. Um. Well. That's." He screwed his eyes shut and his nose wrinkled up cutely. "I-I named my dog Victor!" he admitted in a rush.

Victor's heart stopped, and then he felt like his skull was expanding. "Oh!" He couldn't help it, he put his arm around Yuri. This was ok, right?? They were so close in this bed, anyway, so... " _Thank you_ ," he said earnestly. 

It was all he could think to say in response to that admission.

Yuri looked at Victor, and smiled shakily. "Ah... you're... welcome?"

"Is this ok?" Victor asked, making sure that he wasn't overstepping his boundaries.

Yuri just nodded.

Victor paused. He should... just say goodnight. But.

"Are you really ok? I mean. After... what happened in Italy...?" he didn't mean Yuri's cuts or his now nearly faded away entirely bruise. He meant...

"Oh. Yeah... I just. I don't want to think about it," Yuri shrugged. 

Victor thought maybe that wasn't such a good idea, but. He kissed Yuri's forehead and smiled at him. 

Yuri smiled back, and then he closed his eyes and curled up near Victor. 

"Good night, my Yuri," Victor whispered.

Yuri let out a shuddering breath, and then he whispered back, "Night... Victor."

☽☾

Victor woke up with sunshine pouring into the room already. Yuri was curled up tightly to his chest, and he was even drooling slightly on Victor, which Victor decided was adorable. Victor wasn't the type to laze around in bed normally, but normally he didn't have a warm soulmate sleeping sounding with his leg between Victor's. It was a special day. He stroked Yuri's hair, and gently and carefully traced his finger down Yuri's cute nose, traced Yuri's ear, inhaled Yuri's scent...

He reminded himself that a night of dancing and sleeping together in Yuri's friend's bed did not mean they were automatically happily ever after. But, he was happy _now_. And Yuri really was a deep sleeper! 

Victor wasn't sure how long he'd been awake, but he'd had to shift around more than once to keep one or more limbs from falling asleep. His phone started to sing, so he turned over. Yuri grumbled cutely in his sleep, shifting to keep his head on Victor's chest. Victor was beaming as he picked up his phone. Not unexpectedly, it was Yuri's friend. He opened the chat request, and Phichit's face filled his phone. 

"Ah! You're letting him sleep in?" Phichit asked.

"Well," Victor shrugged.

Phichit leaned forward like he might be able to get a better view of Yuri if he did. "Ahhh, I was going to head over with breakfast. Is it too soon, then?"

"No, that's fine. How soon will you be here?"

"Mm, about fifteen minutes?"

"Ok, I'll have him up by then," Victor promised.

"Are you sure?" Phichit smirked. "I always gave myself at least a half an hour to get Yuri going."

"I am confident in my ability to _get Yuri going_ ," Victor deadpanned.

"Ha. Well... trying tickling around his waist," Phichit winked, and then he hung up.

It irritated Victor to be getting advice on his soulmate from his soulmate's former lover, especially since he was so much younger than Victor and had known Yuri for so much longer. Victor wasn't going to try to tickle Yuri unless he absolutely had no choice.

Instead, he whispered into Yuri's ear, "Yuuuuuuuuuriiiiiiiiii," softly. He kissed Yuri's temple and then nipped at Yuri's nose. Yuri's face scrunched up and he wriggled and made some cute noises, but he wasn't any closer to actually opening his eyes. "Yuri, Yuri, Yuri," Victor singsonged, poking Yuri's cheek. Yuri groaned, and he pressed his face to Victor's chest, trying to get away from the nuisance. 

Smiling, Victor reached down and pinched Yuri's ass.

Yuri shifted again, absently moving his arm to try to chase away the source of his disturbance. Victor avoided the swat, though, and he pinched Yuri's arm. "Yuri, my love, it's time to wake up." 

He might have heard Victor, because his face seemed to settle into what could only be described as an angrily resolute sleeping face.

Amused, Victor bit Yuri's earlobe, hard enough to leave faint teeth marks momentarily. 

Yuri squeaked, and finally, finally his lovely brown eyes opened. He blinked blearily, looking around in confusion. Once he recognized Victor, though, his eyes snapped all the way open and he yelped, pushing back in surprise. "V-Victor!"

"Good morning!" Victor replied sunnily, choosing to be amused by Yuri's early morning confusion.

"Oh..." Yuri looked around, getting his bearings.

"Your friend is bringing breakfast, so it's time to wake up," Victor informed him.

"Oooh... what time is it?" Yuri rubbed his face like Makkachin when he didn't really want to be awake.

"I'm... not sure. It's still morning, so we have plenty of time before our flight."

"Ok." Yuri yawned, and looked at Victor, and then he smiled nervously. And then he saw something. "Ah! Did I... did I _drool_ on you!? I'msosorry!"

Victor laughed. "Don't be, it's fine, it's fine!!" 

"No, it's not!" Yuri looked aghast. He leaned up to see if he could find a tissue. 

"Really, I don't mind at all," Victor assured him. To prove how much he didn't mind, he swiped his chest clean with his finger. He looked at his finger. There wasn't really that much drool. He made to bring his finger to his lips, but Yuri's eyes widened and he grabbed Victor's wrist.

"Whatareyoudoing? L-let me get something to clean that up!" he insisted.

"It's no big deal," Victor laughed. "It's like sharing a kiss!"

"No, it's not!" Yuri shook his head violently. "It's gross!"

"It's not gross, it's from Yuri! What do you think happens when you kiss?" Victor opened his mouth like he was going to attack his finger.

Yuri covered Victor's finger with his hands, laughing. "Noooo, no, no, no, I can't believe you... You've ruined kissing, there's no way we can keep kissing from here on out," Yuri teased.

At least, Victor hoped he was teasing. Yuri looked worried more than anything else. Victor couldn't take a chance. He leaned forward, pressing his forehead to Yuri's. "That's a very serious threat, Yuri," Victor said in his Very Serious Voice. "Please be more careful in choosing your words," he begged. It wasn't exactly the reaction Victor was hoping for, but Yuri suddenly couldn't help smiling, and then he was laughing, and... that could never be considered a bad thing. "What? I'm serious!"

"No, no, it's just..." Yuri smiled angelically at Victor. "Your hair... it's all messed up..." 

Victor touched his hair, and pouted. "I haven't had a chance to comb it yet! Does it look bad? Are you disappointed?" he asked in a low voice.

"No!" Yuri laughed. He slowly reached out and smoothed Victor's hair down. "No, I just... I think you are beautiful."

That seemed to be a non sequitur, but Victor wasn't about to question it. He watched Yuri watching him, and they were looking each other in the eye and Victor felt his stomach doing a flip and...

Yuri blinked a few times. "Ah... did you say that Phichit-kun was coming over?"

"Mm," Victor nodded, disappointed once again that Life was impinging on Romance. 

Yuri blushed, and it made Victor blush, too. Smiling shyly, Yuri shrugged. "I... guess we should get out of bed, then."

"Yeah," Victor sadly agreed.

He had to get up first, since Yuri was between him and the wall. Victor stood up and stretched out, and then Yuri got out of bed. 

Yuri looked at the bed seriously, his fists on his hips. He noticed Victor looking at him quizzically, and he smiled wickedly but shyly. "I was trying to decide... to make the bed, or to change the sheets just to mess with him... or... to leave the sheets and make the bed but dampen a spot just to get him back for saying weird things."

Victor couldn't help laughing. Playing pranks was a friend thing, right? "Do it," he suggested cheerfully.

☽☾

Phichit checked his phone for the time before he rang the bell to his own apartment. It was twenty minutes since he called, so that should be plenty of time, right? Yuri was always slow to wake up, but at least Victor should be able to answer the door. Phichit had a lot of food!

It was Yuri, though, who answered the door a minute later, still in the clothes he slept in. "Hey, Phichit-kun. Oh, let me help you with that."

"Thanks," Phichit grinned. Yuri took one of the bags from Phichit's arms. "So, did you sleep well?" Phichit asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

Yuri did not roll his eyes, but he looked like it was a great struggle not to. " _Yes_ , very well. Thank you. Victor wants to hold your hamsters."

"Yes, I do!" Victor called out, coming out from the bedroom. He was just wearing work out pants and a t-shirt, but given that he seemed to sleep in his underwear, that was something.

"Victor also wanted me to put a wet spot in your bed just to mess with you," Yuri told them.

"Hey!" Victor laughed. "It was your idea!"

" _Put a wet spot_ in the bed, is _that_ what you're calling it," Phichit archly replied. He got to see Yuri turn bright red. Nice! "Just for that, _you_ can serve breakfast up while I check on the critters with Victor," Phichit stuck his tongue out at Yuri.

Yuri managed to stick his tongue out back, but his cheeks were still red. Victor was a lucky man...! Phichit went over to check on his babies, immediately opening the door to their cage. He put his hand in the cage, just waiting for one of them to come greet him. Silver immediately ran into his palm, so he lifted him out. He gently ran his finger down Silver's body from his head to his tail. He looked at Victor cautiously. "Are your hands clean?"

Victor held them up, fingers splayed out to prove they were. "Yes!"

"All right, sit down," Phichit motioned to the couch. Victor sat down quickly looking eager. "Cup your hands together." Victor immediately did so.

He was giving orders to Victor Nikiforov. This was the best.

"Ok, try not to make any sudden moves, or weird sounds... hamsters scare easily. Don't make any kissing sounds at him, they don't like that," he instructed. He gently put his hands on top of Victor's, and then let go. Silver looked up at Phichit, and then started to sniff at Victor's hands. "If he bites you, just blow gently in his face." Victor nodded, leaning down to get a better look. Phichit went back to the cage, and this time Gold got in his hand. He put Gold down next to Silver in Victor's hands. Victor gave him a nervous look, but Phichit just went back to get out Bronze. Once they were all out, he quickly tended to the cage, cleaning out the bottom in his usual expert time. He added more food, and then put Bronze back in. He went over to Victor, who was as still as a statue, watching the hamsters scramble.

"One is trying to escape," he warned Phichit in a whisper. 

Grinning, Phichit gently scooped up Gold, who was running up Victor's arm. "This one is Gold. He probably just sees you as a kindred spirit." He put Gold back, and then collected Silver. He grabbed their water bottle to change it out. "So, what do you think? Hamsters are the best, right? I can give you pointers on getting started if you like!" Phichit winked at Yuri as he filled the bottle.

"They're cute and soft and warm, but Makkachin would probably eat them," Victor replied cheerfully. 

Phichit groaned. "Yuri used to say the same about his puppy!"

"Breakfast is ready," Yuri grinned.

"Let's eat at the couch, it's more comfortable," Phichit suggested. Especially with the three of them... his kitchen wasn't that big!

Victor got up to help Yuri with the plates and the coffee, and Phichit gave the hamsters back their water. Since everyone had something to eat and drink, he sat down on the floor in front of the coffee table. Yuri and Victor were sitting on the couch, and Phichit noticed that Yuri gave Victor some room, but Victor moved closer to Yuri once they were all seated. 

"I wish you were staying a little longer, but at least we had fun last night, right?" Phichit grinned at Yuri.

Yuri smiled sheepishly at Phichit, and then stole a glance at Victor. "Ah... yeah, it was fun."

"Mm, it's too bad, though, that Victor didn't get to see Yuri drunk. He's super cute when he's drunk!" Phichit told Victor happily.

"Phichit-kun!" Yuri gasped.

"I've seen Yuri drunk before, though," Victor replied calmly.

"Eh?" Phichit blinked.

"What? When?" Yuri stared.

"When?" Victor laughed. "At the Gala after the Grand Prix Final, of course."

"Eh?" Yuri's eyes widened. "What do you mean? The Gala..."

Victor dropped the food he was about to put in his mouth. "Wait. Yuri, don't you remember?"

"I... I remember Celestino dragged me to the Gala. And I couldn't talk to anyone, so..." Yuri paled, and then his body went rigid.

"What happened, what happened?" Phichit leaned forward, looking from Yuri to Victor.

"Yuri drank a lot of champagne, and then he started a dance off. Yurio and Chris got involved. And me, of course," Victor calmly told them.

"Yurio?" Phichit puzzled.

"Ohno," Yuri covered his mouth.

"I have videos!" Victor told them. 

Yuri made a strangled noise, and Victor grabbed his phone. He swiped around a little, and then he showed Phichit.

"Yuri, there were sponsors there, what happened to your pants?" Phichit laughed.

"Ohno!" Yuri covered his face.

"Oooh, Yuri Plisetsky, his nickname is Yurio? That's cute. Wow, why was there a stripper pole at the Gala? That's so weird. Yuri, this is filthy." Phichit had to admire the athleticiscm of the pose, though. 

"I have photos, too," Victor switched his gallery, and showed Phichit.

"Ah, you danced with Victor! Ooh, that looks romantic!" Phichit grinned.

Yuri parted his fingers to look.

"A modified flamenco with a pasodoble flare. It _was_ romantic," Victor dreamily recounted.

Phichit held the phone so Yuri could see better, and Yuri whimpered.

"Yuri even begged me to be his coach," Victor continued excitedly. "It left a big impression!"

"Wait, wasn't Ciao Ciao there?" Phichit asked.

"He was!" Victor confirmed with glee.

"Ohgod," Yuri moaned, covering his face again.

Phichit collapsed laughing. "No wonder he was so quick to drop you!" 

Yuri crumpled up, groaning.

"You really don't remember this at all?" Victor asked Yuri, sounding hurt. Well, Phichit would be hurt if the love of his life didn't remember the first time they danced together, too.

Yuri moaned something that sort of sounded like a _no_.

"So, wait, when I showed up at your house... why did you think I was there?" Victor asked.

Yuri looked at Victor through his fingers. "Well! You're Victor... you can do whatever you want..." Yuri shrugged.

Victor's eyes widened. He looked back at his phone. "...No wonder you've had such a hard time believing we could be soulmates..."

Yuri bit his lip.

Phichit couldn't hold back anymore. He went face down on the floor laughing, even kicking and pounding the floor. "Yuri, you heartbreaker!"

"Phichit-kun!" Yuri complained.

"I'm glad you weren't drinking last night, then. You won't forget any of _that_ , right?" Victor asked him.

Yuri's hands slipped down. "Of course not!" 

The two of them just stared googily-woogily into each other's eyes. 

"Hey, hey, hey," Phichit waved his hand at them, "there's plenty of time for the romancey stuff when you two are alone. Let me eat my breakfast in peace!"

"Brat," Yuri complained, his cheeks flushed. "You're not even eating, you're just laughing at me."

Phichit sat up, and stuck his tongue out at Yuri, but this time, Yuri just made a face at him. With an exaggerated gesture, Phichit shoveled some food into his mouth. 

"Boys, behave," Victor primly told them.

Yuri and Phichit looked at each other, and then they were both laughing so hard they couldn't sit up. Yuri ended up leaning on Victor, who was watching him warmly. Phichit stopped laughing while watching them, though a few snickers kept slipping out.

This is exactly what he would have wanted for Yuri.

"Your boyfriend is scolding us, Yuri," Phichit complained childishly.

Yuri flushed as he became aware of how he was leaning on Victor, but he didn't move and he was still smiling. "Ah, mm, he is. I guess... there are drawbacks to dating older men," Yuri teased.

"Oy, oy, oy, I'm only four years older than you!" Victor complained, and he started to tickle Yuri. He went right for the place Phichit told him about, good. Yuri retaliated by messing up Victor's hair. Something flashed in Victor's eyes, and then he was pushing Yuri down and they were roughhousing for real on Phichit's couch. 

Phichit sat back and watched, eating more breakfast. Yuri was pinned down, but he wasn't playing fair. He bit Victor's nose. What was Phichit doing?! He should be documenting this! He got out his phone and started to take pictures.

Yuri was making progress at turning them over to pin Victor down when he realized that Phichit was taking pictures. "Ph-Phichit-kun!!" he complained, and then he fell off the couch and nearly knocked the coffee table over in his attempt to take Victor with him.

"Nice one!" Phichit leaned over to take a picture of Yuri on the floor.

"You can't post these!" Yuri wailed.

"Why not?" Phichit asked innocently. "My wifi is really good," he teased.

"Phichit-kun!" Yuri whined, covering his face.

Victor stretched out on the couch, enjoying his default victory. "Take my picture!" 

"Sure thing!" This was great, he could post a picture of Victor from his very own apartment!! By the time those two were back in Japan, he'd have nearly double the followers!

Guang Hong would be so jealous!!!

"Why am I always surrounded by people who are constantly posting pics online?" Yuri complained.

"Because you're twenty-three, not seventy-three, so your friends are part of _this_ generation," Phichit shook his head as he posted Victor's picture.

Yuri just groaned in reply.

"Your flight is this afternoon, right? Is there anything you wanna do in Bangkok before you go?" Phichit asked, smiling at his Instagram feed. He could practically feel the attention that was coming his way.

"Oh, there was that temple we passed yesterday, we were going to see it up close, right?" Victor remembered.

"Wat Arun! Right! We should get going, then, so we have time to see it before you have to go to the airport," Phichit started to plot out the best route there and back. Victor had his bag, so maybe they should plan to get back to the apartment before going to the airport?

"I'll get washed up, then, since _someone_ messed up my hair," Victor ruffled Yuri's hair as he stood up.

"Yuri, how could you?" Phichit asked in mock indignation.

Yuri just sighed as Victor went off to the bedroom. He sat up with his back to the couch, and started to clean up the breakfast dishes lazily. 

"Look, look," Phichit scooted over to show Yuri. "I've already got three hundred likes and I just posted it a minute ago!"

"Phichit-kun," Yuri sighed. He looked the picture over, though. Victor looked good, of course.

"Not to even mention the pics from last night of the two of you dancing!" Phichit grinned broadly.

"Ph-Phichit-kun!!" Yuri gasped, recoiling.

"Whaaaat," Phichit gave Yuri his most innocent expression. "Victor asked me to!"

Yuri shuddered, covering his face with his hands.

"Look, look, look, don't you want to see?" Phichit sidled right up to Yuri, and showed him.

Yuri sighed, and then slowly he lowered his hands. He made a cute whimpering sound, and then he finally looked properly. He took Phichit's phone gently, shaking his head. "I don't want to look at the comments. I can already imagine well enough..."

"You said you weren't going to hide from this, right? He's your soulmate. Who cares what people think?"

"True," Yuri's shoulders slumped. "But..." Whatever he was going to say, he stopped dead, his eyes widening. 

Phichit put his chin on Yuri's shoulder, checking to see what Yuri was looking at. 

Yuri's hand was shaking and his lips were parted in awe. "Is this... is this really... what I look like... when I'm... with him?" Yuri asked in a whisper.

Phichit grinned. It was a nice photo of Yuri looking at Victor with adoring eyes, his smile sexy and loving. Phichit was glad he'd recently upgraded his phone. He'd never have been able to get such a good pic in a club with his old one. "It's not photoshopped..." Phichit pointed out.

With a trembling finger, Yuri scrolled down. The next pic, though, caused Yuri to suck in his breath and tremble from head to toe. Phichit liked this photo a lot. It was getting a ton of likes and comments! Victor was watching as Yuri did a spin in front of him, but it was the look on Victor's face.

There was no mistaking it. Victor was looking at Yuri with naked adoration.

"Is this... really... how... how he looks..." Yuri's voice was trembling. He looked at Phichit, letting his eyes finish the question since his voice failed.

"Maybe you should start looking at him when he's looking at you. Then you'll see it for yourself," Phichit suggested kindly.

Yuri looked startled, and then he turned his eyes back at the phone. "Is it... possible that I feel so anxious... about this because... because... I-I'm _happy_?" He looked at Phichit, and the look in his eyes was enough to break Phichit's heart. He always knew that Yuri had his demons, as he'd say, but. 

Phichit barely glanced over to the door to the bedroom to confirm his suspicions. He smiled at Yuri. "Even something good can feel strange, when you're not used to it."

Yuri shuddered, staring at the phone. He whimpered, and then the sound seemed to startle him, because he quickly handed the phone to Phichit and he wiped at his face. His tears hadn't started to fall yet, though. "I-I better clean this up, if we're going out!" He grabbed the dishes roughly and took them to the sink in the kitchen.

Phichit looked at Victor, waiting in the doorway, and smiled significantly. Yuri dropped the dishes in the sink, and Phichit turned to look at him. "Hey, hey, careful with those!"

Victor came into the room breezily, carefully turning up his sleeves to the _perfect_ casual length. "Ok, ready! Will we have time to come back for my bag?"

"We will, if a _certain someone_ gets his butt in gear and gets dressed," Phichit teased.

"I'm going, I'm going!" Yuri sighed, keeping his head down as he went into the bedroom.

Victor calmly sat down on the couch, and then picked up Phichit's phone, looking at the photo that Yuri had been looking at. 

"You're welcome," Phichit said quietly, but with plenty of cheek.

Victor spared him a grin, and then he scrolled to look at the other pics. "...You _will_ send me all of these, right? And the ones from this morning?"

"Of course," Phichit winked at him.

" _Thank you_ ," Victor said, looking at Phichit with naked emotion.

Phichit decided to press his luck. He leaned in, grinning. "So, I'm forgiven for putting my hands on your soulmate?"

Victor narrowed his eyes, but he was still smiling. With a dramatic sigh, he said, "I su~ppose. Fi~ine."

Phichit bit his lip, but he couldn't help laughing when he met Victor's eyes.

☽☾

They sat down in their seats, but Yuri just couldn't settle down. He was in first class with Victor, after all!

"I really feel guilty, this must have been expensive," Yuri fussed.

"No," Victor shrugged. "It's a short flight."

That wasn't what Yuri meant, but Victor probably wouldn't understand what he meant. Yuri looked around to see who else was on the flight with them. Would people recognize Victor? It was hard to believe they wouldn't, but then they wouldn't recognize Yuri, would they?

"Do you get nervous flying?" Victor asked him.

"Ah! No, no, that's not it," Yuri smiled shakily, trying to settle himself. 

"Are you nervous about going home?" Victor asked in a lower tone.

"Mm, no... well. I'm not exactly sure how to explain my running off of course..." he tried to laugh it off, but it was still humiliating.

"Don't worry. Everyone will be happy to see you. Ah... your mother has been practicing being stern, so make sure to be impressed with her efforts," Victor nodded firmly.

Yuri grinned. "Got it, thanks."

"...The last few days, at least, have been fun," Victor said, but it felt like he was asking Yuri a question.

Yuri looked at him and smiled. He looked down again, but he'd seen it for a moment there. The way that Victor was looking at him.

He put his hand on Victor's. "Yeah. It's been fun."

☽☾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yuri!!! on Ice is such a great show. i'd always intended for victor and yuri to 'break the ice', as it were, by dancing together. little did i know how much that would become essential in canon... just one of many times the creators gave me more than i dared to dream for... and not the only time it'll seem like i'm following canon here with stuff i'd planned from the start, either. ^_^;;;


	8. Chapter 8

☽☾

**Seventh Spell**

☽☾

"Yuri! Yuri, hurry up!"

"This is _your_ duffel bag," Yuri muttered as he hefted it up to his shoulder. Victor had already gone down the escalator, leaving Yuri behind with his bag. Yuri managed to get on the escalator going down, but he couldn't help but notice how heavy the bag was. Victor wouldn't have put it down on purpose, right...?

"Yuri! Quick, quick, let's get a selfie in front of your posters!" Victor cheerfully beckoned to Yuri.

"Ehhhhh?" Yuri stumbled as he tried to recoil from the very idea that Victor had just suggested.

"C'mon, c'mon!" Victor already had his phone out and in position.

"Victor, get away from there!" Yuri looked around to see if anyone noticed. They were ahead of the evening rush, if one could call it a rush. Still, there were plenty of people around, and some were looking at them. Even with all those posters around, they were more likely to recognize Victor, right? But then, if someone recognized Victor Nikiforov wanting to take a selfie in front of the poster of Katsuki Yuri, what in the world would they think?! He turned the corner after stepping off the escalator as quickly as he could and went through the turnstile, getting Victor's bag stuck so that he had to try to muscle his way through.

"Yuri! Yuri, be careful!" Victor called out in a loud voice. He came up behind Yuri to give him a final push through. "Aww, but the selfie..."

"Why would you even want that?" Yuri hissed. "...I think they photoshopped my waist in that picture. And I'm sure I never made a face like that, especially not while skating," he groused.

"Really?" Victor looked over his shoulder, but he was also trying to keep up. "I like your expression! There's some at Yu-topia, let's take the selfie there, then! Your parents would like that, right? It would encourage business!"

Yuri flinched. His parents _would_ like that. But. But! "Victor," Yuri looked over his shoulder at Victor. "Why are you so interested in the poster when I'm right here with you?"

"Oh!" Victor brightened, and rushed forward to put his arm around Yuri's shoulder. "That's rather suggestive, Yuri! I'm shocked!"

Yuri flushed, stammering as he tried to figure out how he was supposed to react. 

"But," Victor leaned in and spoke into Yuri's ear. "Does that mean you'll take a selfie with me now?" He held his phone up and smiled brightly.

Yuri pulled his mask up and ducked his chin down.

Victor sighed, and Yuri felt a rush of shame flood over him. "A-anyway, we've been traveling... l-let's just... um..." he floundered, looking around. "Oh, did you tell anyone when we'd be arriving?"

"I just said we'd be home for dinner," Victor sunnily shrugged.

"Then, let's get a cab." Yuri moved decidedly in the direction of where the taxis would be waiting, if there were any. 

Yuri kept checking, but it didn't seem as if anyone was watching them. At least, no one was taking pictures that he could see. That was good. The station wasn't too big, so they got to the taxi stand fairly quickly. Yuri was going to be happy to be able to put down this heavy duffel bag.

There was one cab waiting when they got there. Yuri told the driver where they were going, and he was relieved that he didn't know the man. The way the driver kept checking the rear view mirror, though, made Yuri think that _he_ knew Yuri. In Hasetsu, just about everyone knew Yuri. It was... claustrophobic, except Yuri refused to think of his home that way. Still, he sat as close to the door as he could, keeping some distance between himself and Victor. He stared out the window, not even sure _why_ he was behaving like he was, just.

They were almost home, and he didn't want to think about anything, especially anything stressful. 

"Are you nervous about going home? I'm sure everyone is going to be happy to see you," Victor assured him quietly.

"No, I know," he smiled tentatively at Victor before turning back to look out the window. "It's not that, really."

What was it? He couldn't really explain. And, that was the crux of the problem, wasn't it? Not so long ago, everything seemed straightforward, but they were in Bangkok. It had been like stepping away from the world. 

Victor reached out and put his hand over Yuri's, and Yuri had to concentrate on not pulling away. There had been progress in Bangkok. No matter what, he couldn't let himself regress. 

When they got home, Yuri would start by apologizing. And. When his parents asked him what he'd been thinking... what would he say so that they wouldn't worry?

He was so preoccupied with his thoughts, he forgot to direct the driver to take them to the back entrance of the onsen. Victor got the bag, so Yuri paid the man, and from the way he was smiling at Yuri, it was fairly obvious that he knew who Yuri was. 

Of course he did. Everyone in Hasetsu had such high expectations for him...

They entered the onsen, and Yuri hoped, stupidly, that no one would be at the front door so they could slip inside quietly.

That would be no way to run a business, though. Mari-neechan was at the desk, and she didn't even bother greeting them or waiting for Yuri to greet her. She just shouted out, "Mom! Dad! Yuri's here!" Yuri froze, and Mari-neechan smirked at him.

He was in for it, wasn't he?

He was aware that Victor was watching him closely, but he couldn't think about anything except the sound of his parents coming running from the kitchen and the dining area. They both came to stand in front of them. Yuri straightened up, and swallowed hard. "Mom... dad... I-" he started, but he didn't have time to bow, even.

"You really gave us a fright!" his dad jovially patted him on the back. "How was Spain?"

"Yuri, welcome home!" his mother took his hands into hers. She bit her lip, and then took a deep breath. "But... even though you're an adult now, please don't just take off without a word! At least take your phone with you. And call home. Mmmhmmm... It's so good to see you!" she squeezed his hands.

"Ah... mom... I'm sorry," he started to bow, but then she pumped his hands up and down.

"That's it! I've decided! As punishment..." His mother's bottom lip quivered, but then she consciously made a resolute face. "...you have to do all the laundry today!"

Yuri blinked, and his jaw went slack. "Ah... I... uh..."

Mari-neechan snorted. "Our spoiled prince, actually doing work. Wonders never cease..."

Yuri turned red and glared at his sister, but then his mother squeezed his hand and held it to her cheek.

"I'm so glad you're home, and you look well... You're all right, aren't you? Did you have fun in Spain? It looked like you were enjoying yourself. Are you hungry? You can eat first! Let's sit down and eat and you can tell us all about it!"

"I'll help you with the laundry," Victor offered, looking at Yuri gently.

"Yeah, _there's_ a great idea. Put two spoiled princes on the job. I don't think the washing machine will survive," Mari-neechan teased.

Yuri glared at her, but his mother shook her head and took Victor's hand, squeezing it, too. "No, no, Vicchan, this is Yuri's punishment. But you did well this time, bringing him back. Good job!"

Victor looked embarrassed. Victor Nikiforov actually looked embarrassed. Yuri should get a picture...

"Yuri, you're not wearing the glove anymore!" his father noticed.

"Ah!" Yuri looked down at his hand, and his mother held it up, grinning. She turned his hand over and looked at his mark. Yuri flushed, and Victor put his hand on Yuri's back, steadying him. "Mm. Yeah. S-sorry... for worrying you..."

Yuri's parents grinned at each other, and then his mother gave him a good tug. "Let's have a nice big meal and you can tell us everything!"

☽☾

He stretched his hands as high above his head as he could. _Despite_ Mari-neechan's teasing, Yuri did know perfectly well how to do laundry! He had never done laundry at home, sure, but he did his own laundry in Detroit, of course! Unfortunately, there was a big difference between doing two loads on a weekend so he had something to wear and doing ten loads to keep the onsen in towels and guest clothing. Yuri never knew before that laundry could be so tiring!

He was headed to his bed to collapse, but he stopped after walking past Victor's bedroom. 

The light was still on.

He'd 'gotten out of' bathing with Victor because of his punishment, but he wasn't at all sure what he wanted, except. He didn't want the progress they'd made in Bangkok to evaporate now that they were back in the 'real world.' They'd danced together, they'd slept in the same bed, they'd talked. They'd... kissed.

Yuri fidgeted, fighting the urge to touch his lips. 

He took a deep breath, and then turned back. He knocked on the door quietly, and then he slid it open just enough to peek inside. "Vi-Victor?"

"Come in!" Victor was beaming. He and Makkachin were already in bed, and Makkachin was getting a deep belly rub.

Yuri smiled shyly, and then came inside. Uncertain, he closed the door behind him and came to sit on the edge of the bed. He reached out to pet Makkachin. He thought the poodle would probably prefer to have Victor's attention only, but Makkachin scooted closer to him, so maybe he figured a four-handed belly rub would be better than just a two-handed one. 

"How did the laundry go?"

"Well, it's done," Yuri smiled nervously at Victor. They'd made progress... Victor was his soulmate. He edged closer, and dug his fingers into Makkachin's fur. That made Makkachin happy. "Actually, mom did come to keep me company, anyway. So."

"Did you have chores you normally did growing up?" Victor asked. They were both rubbing Makkachin's belly, and the poodle was panting with contentment.

"Mm, well. Not like... not like that, so much, but I did do stuff like sweep the front walk and all! Mari-neechan makes it sound like I never did anything around the house, but it's not like she was working from childhood, either," Yuri groused. He relented, though. "She... did do a lot more around the house when she was in high school or around there, but... she always said she wanted to stay here in Hasetsu and keep this place running. I think. I mean, she never said she wanted to do anything else..." Actually, Yuri just realized that it had never before occurred to him to ask if Mari-neechan wanted to do anything else with her life. He distinctly remembered that after he was certified, she made a joke about how she didn't have any competition for the family business now.

Was that really what she wanted?

Yuri started as Victor smoothed out his hair. Victor smiled at him kindly. "Well. Good job. See? It wasn't as bad as you thought it would be, was it?"

Yuri blinked, and then he relaxed just enough to smile. "Y-yeah. True. No one said the word _crazy_ out loud, at least, so..." he joked, but. 

Damn. Victor was looking worried now. And, Yuri forgot that Victor's mother had been institutionalized... He bit his lip and looked down into Makkachin's eager and understanding eyes. He would have to watch his dark sense of humor...

"Of course, there's no way to tell what people are _thinking_..." Victor teased gently, clearly gauging Yuri's reaction carefully.

Yuri felt so relieved, he couldn't help grinning from ear to ear. "As long as they don't say it..." he shrugged.

Victor relaxed, too, seeing that Yuri didn't mind his joke.

Progress. They were making progress. Right?

"I-it must have been boring here, while I was gone. There's not much to do in Hasetsu," Yuri smiled sheepishly. He blinked. "Ah! Not that... not that I guess it's much better if I'm here, but..." He flushed. He was being arrogant, thinking Victor would enjoy his company _that_ much...!

"I like it here!" Victor smiled brightly. "I played with Makkachin every day, I ate katsudon, I bathed in a huge, hot bath... I got to skate every day in a rink all my own. It would have been more fun if you had been here, too... but you're here now." Victor reached across Makkachin's belly and touched Yuri's hand. 

Yuri bit his lip. He looked at their hands, and then he turned his hand over to squeeze Victor's hand.

Makkachin whined.

"Spoiled puppy!" Victor sighed affectionately, leaning in to rub his nose against Makkachin's. He wasn't letting go of Yuri's hand. 

Yuri swallowed hard and smiled. "A-and just who is it that spoiled him?"

"It's quite a mystery!" Victor serenely wondered. "I think Makkachin uses his cuteness to mind control people into spoiling him! You should see him work the dining area at dinner!"

"Well, most of the regulars would be used to it. Vicchan used to do the same thing," Yuri admitted.

"Poodles are such divas!" Victor shook his head.

"Like master, like puppy?" Yuri teased quietly.

"Does that mean you have an inner diva? I bet you do," Victor smirked at him.

Yuri flushed. "I-I doubt I'd ever be good enough to be considered a diva..."

"I believe in you," Victor replied, and Yuri felt his stomach churn as warmth flooded his body. "I look forward to Yuri's diva phase! I can see it, Yuri entering a stadium before a festival, hair slicked back, sunglasses in place, a thick black feather boa around his neck, ignoring all his fans and the reporters..."

"Stop, stop, stop," Yuri laughed. He squeezed Victor's hand, but he started to feel nervous. Was this all right? Victor wasn't letting go... "What are you even imagining? That's not me at all!"

Victor was smiling at him, and Yuri's heart was pounding. "Mm, well, I suppose not, but it might be interesting to see. You could pull it off! That mysterious, aloof aura... and, of course, you would only warm up for me. The fans would love it!"

"What sort of nonsense are you spouting!" Yuri laughed before he even thought about what he was saying. "Ugh, forget about that stuff. I've got a long way to go before I can start thinking about stuff like that, even."

"True, true," Victor relented. He leaned up and over Makkachin to kiss Yuri's temple. "First things first, of course."

Makkachin whimpered and turned onto his belly, and then he began vigorously licking Yuri's face.

Laughing, Yuri had to let go of Victor's hand to put his hands on Makkachin's face. "Ok, Makkachin, ok, ok!"

"Mm, Yuri is so well-loved!" Victor marveled.

Yuri flushed and opened his mouth to protest. He saw the way Victor was looking at him, and Phichit's words came back to him. _Maybe you should start looking at him when he's looking at you. Then you'll see it for yourself._ Yuri tried not to look away, but it was hard to look, too. Victor was... too beautiful? He leaned over to kiss Victor's nose, and Makkachin happily turned to lick Victor, too. "S-so are you," Yuri muttered, too embarrassed to do anything but stare at the blanket.

"Well. That works out well," Victor said gently.

Yuri felt like his whole body was burning with embarrassment. But. Was this, too... because he was happy? "I-I should let you get to sleep... Um..."

"You can stay here, if you want, there's plenty of room," Victor offered eagerly. "Makkachin would like that, too."

"Uh. Um." Yuri didn't know where to look. "I-I shouldn't intrude. Er. That is. Th-this is your bed, and..."

"I slept in your bed while you were gone. It's only fair," Victor suggested.

"You... wait... what?" Yuri blinked.

Victor looked sheepish. "Well, I was lonely for you! So was Makkachin!" Victor held Makkachin under his chin, looking cute.

Yuri blinked several times. "Ah... I... I see... well..." He wasn't sure how to feel about that. On the one hand, Victor Nikiforov had been in his bed. That was like every wet dream he'd ever had rolled up into one. Good thing he'd taken his posters down... And Victor, his soulmate, had been lonely for him. He... couldn't even process all his feelings about that. But. "I-I guess... that's understandable. But... I should. I should go... f-for now." Implying, maybe...? That someday... 

Someday... would it be normal for him to share a bed with Victor? Probably. But, he wasn't really sure how they would go from being... whatever they were now to people who shared a bed like it was normal. Victor seemed ready to just do it, but.

Was Yuri holding them back?

"All right," Victor relented quietly. If Yuri had the courage to be looking at his face... he might see his expression, he might know more about how things stood between them. "Oh, I think I got all my things out of your drawers, but I might have left something behind by accident."

"Ah, that's... you... you went through my drawers?" Yuri froze.

"I was just curious, and it was easier to have some of my things in the same room where I was sleeping!" Victor explained defensively. 

"Mm, well, that makes sense... So you just... made use of a few drawers?" Yuri asked.

"Yes. But I did look through all of them," Victor openly admitted.

"A-all of them?" Yuri shuddered, moving back to the edge of the bed.

"Yes... and I did notice something that worried me..." Victor sighed.

A shiver ran down Yuri's spine. Victor found Yuri's stash of posters... and he was now going to ask Yuri about them, about whether Yuri was just a really successful stalker...

"Why are _all_ of your underwear the same black boxer briefs? I mean, they look good on you, but don't you have days when you want to wear red? Or maybe something more... liberating? Like a bikini, or even a thong!" Victor was getting excited.

Yuri felt like he was missing something. "Er. No, my underwear is fine, that's the kind I like. B-but, you really went through all my drawers?"

"Just a little. I didn't want to intrude. I couldn't help it, really. It's like when you go to a party at someone's house, you just can't help looking through the medicine cabinet, right? But I didn't disturb anything, I promise!" Victor assured Yuri.

No, that wasn't his concern at all. But. "Ah, that's fine, it's just..." How to ask Victor if he thought the posters were strange without giving away that the posters were strange???

"Oh! Are you worried about your poster collection?" Victor leaned forward eagerly. "Don't worry! I straightened them out a little because some were getting a little crumpled, but that's it!"

"Thank you," Yuri replied automatically. Wait...

"You know, I have all the same posters!" Victor happily informed him.

Yuri blinked. He didn't want to laugh. That would be bad. But he couldn't help grinning. "Ah... that's. That's good."

Victor beamed at him. "I'm glad you're not mad. I know I've been invading your space since I arrived..."

"That's all right! I mean... well..." Yuri fidgeted. "I understand. Um, why you have been, essentially..."

"That's a relief!" Victor exhaled.

Yuri smiled at him. "W-well... I suppose... I should..." He started to get up.

A flash of disappointment passed over Victor's face, and then he put on a smile. "Ok! Well, sleep well, Yuri."

"Y-yeah," Yuri hesitated. He... he kind of... wanted to kiss Victor good night. But. He wasn't sure... "Um, you, too. Sleep well, Victor. And Makkachin," he rubbed Makkachin's head, wishing he wasn't such a coward.

"Let's have breakfast together before going to the Ice Castle," Victor suggested. 

It felt like he was just trying to keep Yuri from leaving for even a few more seconds. If Yuri could just feel more self-assured, he wouldn't be sleeping in a different room, would he? "Ok. Well. S-sladkikh snov, Victor." Victor's eyes widened. Yuri regretted it instantly. He was probably misremembering the phrase. "Did I say that right? I'm sorry..."

"No! It was perfect." Victor was glowing. "It was really nice... hearing Yuri speaking Russian." Victor was flushed, too, his cheeks looking even more perfect with a hint of pink underneath. "Sweet dreams to you, too. My Yuri."

Yuri couldn't breathe for a second. He should absolutely kiss Victor. He shouldn't be leaving at all. He should stay, and he should kiss Victor a lot. 

Instead, he nodded and stumbled off of the bed and out of the room.

Idiot, idiot, idiot.

But.

He hadn't... let their progress deteriorate, had he? Maybe... they'd even made some more progress?

Maybe a little.

Victor had been through all of his drawers.

Yuri got to his room, and he looked around. Just... what had Victor seen?

He blinked. His phone was on top of his desk, and it was charging. That was nice of Victor, though it meant he'd also been through Yuri's backpack. Oh, well. He picked up his phone and looked at it.

He had so many notifications, he couldn't even scroll through them all. 

He put his phone back down and plopped onto the bed. That was too much trouble, he'd deal with that later. He had to get a good night's rest. 

He had to get up when Victor did so they could have breakfast together.

☽☾

Yuri's first thought in the morning was that there was no possible way that Victor could be his soulmate after all; it was inconceivable that the person best suited to him in all the world could be _so damned cheerful_ in the morning. He managed to keep that thought to himself while they had breakfast together, and then they took Makkachin to the Ice House to begin practice. At least that was familiar, though Yuri was always bad at morning practices. Victor criticized him for everything, even his edges. Though Yuri felt frustrated, he was relieved at the same time.

His first and only priority had to be getting into condition to compete again, right?

They took a break for lunch, and they took Makkachin for a walk near the shore. Yuri stretched out under a tree while Victor played with Makkachin. He could hear Victor calling out to Makkachin, and Victor's laughter, and Makkachin's barks. He didn't fall asleep, but he felt more at ease and relaxed than he had ever felt before. After a while, it became quiet. Yuri was aware that Makkachin was close by from his panting. He opened one eye a crack to find that Victor's face was very close to his, and Victor was staring at him. Yuri started, moving back, but he smiled instantly, suppressing his laughter before he even thought about it. He had a strange sense of déjà vu... what was it...

Oh, yeah. Waking up to find Vicchan staring at him. Only, now, Vicchan had become...

Yuri had to bite his lip to keep from laughing. "What... what are you doing?" he choked out while holding back his mirth.

"I was wondering if you were asleep or not! I thought you were watching us, and then when I looked over, your eyes were closed! Ah, but Yuri's sleeping face is beautiful, too, so...!" Victor sighed dramatically.

Yuri shook his head. He reached up tentatively and pulled a leaf out of Victor's messy hair. He had probably been rolling around in the grass with Makkachin, hadn't he? They'd better brush Makkachin when they got home... When Yuri's fingers touched Victor's head, Victor's eyes widened and his lips formed a small _oh_ , like Yuri's fingers were everything he'd wanted. 

But that was...

Victor started to move in closer to Yuri, and Yuri's heart began to pound. He... he was going to be kissed, right? Again?? Victor blinked when he got close, maybe seeing the expression on Yuri's face. Did Yuri look like he didn't want to be kissed??? Victor smiled, and put his head on Yuri's shoulder. He sighed, and he sounded happy, but...??? Yuri's heart was pounding even harder now. He could smell Victor's hair. He could kiss the top of Victor's head if he wanted. 

"Being groomed by Yuri feels so good!" Victor exclaimed happily.

"What?" Yuri grinned. "Are you my puppy now?"

"I don't mind," Victor looked up at Yuri from under his bangs. "I've always wanted to belong to someone..." he added quietly, his arm snaking around Yuri's stomach.

Yuri's thoughts were in a flurry. Belong... to... Yuri hadn't really thought about that ever. But. He put his arm around Victor's shoulder, hoping he wasn't shaking. "Well, fine. But don't expect me to clean up after you."

"Hey, hey," Victor objected, laughing. Unfortunately, he also lifted his head from Yuri's shoulder. "Let's not take this metaphor too far!"

"Oh, you don't want me to get you a collar, then?" Yuri teased.

Victor's eyes started to shine, and Yuri blushed realizing that Victor Nikiforov absolutely _would_ wear a collar if he got him one. No, he'd wear _Yuri's_ collar if he got him one.

Yuri's heart was going to break out of his ribcage.

Makkachin started to lick Yuri's face. 

Victor shook his head, rubbing Makkachin's head. "Hey, hey. I'm allowed to have special Yuri-time, too!" he pouted.

Yuri blushed, looking from Victor to Makkachin. He suddenly remembered sitting in front of the family altar looking at Vicchan's picture for the first time. Feeling fat and ugly and useless, a total failure... That wasn't so long ago. And now... Overwhlemed, Yuri scratched behind Makkachin's ear. He leaned in and pretended to whisper to the pooch, "I think Victor wants kisses, too."

"Oh?" Victor smiled sexily. "But which one of you will give me kisses?"

Yuri froze, and then he looked at Victor. He... he could just... kiss him, right now, he could just... 

Makkachin moved in and plopped onto Yuri's lap to get a better angle on licking Yuri's face.

Laughing, Yuri dug his fingers into Makkachin's fur. "Makkachin, Makkachin! W-we were supposed to be giving _Victor_ kisses!"

"Mm, well, I guess I can't complain," Victor sighed. He was also petting Makkachin. "This just proves that we're soulmates, after all. For so long, Makkachin was the only companion I had. I would never be able to love anyone Makkachin didn't love, too." He was looking so warmly at both Yuri and Makkachin.

Yuri felt his whole world tilt on its axis. Quickly, before he lost his nerve, he leaned in and kissed Victor's cheek. "W-well, M-Makkachin is a sweet dog, s-so I doubt that'd be a problem..."

Victor was beaming. "You'd be surprised! He usually sticks pretty close to me, unless food is involved." Victor grinned as he rubbed Makkachin's head. "My mother got Makkachin for me... She said he would take care of me, since she... couldn't. Makkachin is very smart, he understood what she wanted. She chose a poodle because they're sensitive and affectionate. But, Makkachin has never been as affectionate with anyone else but me, so it's definitely a sign!"

Yuri was speechless. Makkachin turned and licked Victor's face, causing Victor to laugh. He couldn't help but think about Vicchan. He'd gotten a brown toy poodle because he'd wanted a dog like Victor's. He didn't know that poodles were especially sensitive or affectionate, but Vicchan had been. Vicchan had been there for him after every bad day, every time Yuri felt like the world was too much. Because Victor's mother wanted him to have a dog who would be affectionate and loving with him, _Yuri_ got a dog that was affectionate and loving. And Yuri... had really needed and loved Vicchan. Slowly, Yuri started to smile. "Mm. Fate... has a funny sense of humor."

Victor blinked. "How so?"

There were about ten thousand things Yuri could think of to answer that question, but Victor's eyes were so clear and innocent... Yuri shook his head. "I'm just... really grateful that I get to get to know you." Yuri smiled, and then he leaned in and kissed Victor again, this time on the corner of his mouth. 

Makkachin excitedly licked Victor's face all over.

Victor laughed happily.

☽☾

Yuri bowed an extra three times before leaving the ramen stall. Victor was looking at him with amusement, but Yuri just backed out of the stall deferentially. Once they were walking down the street, Makkachin happily trotting alongside, Victor put his arm around Yuri's shoulders. Yuri was pretty sure he controlled his instinct to flinch. Victor wasn't letting go.

This... would become _normal_ to him, wouldn't it?

"Considering it was your first day back to practice, you lazy slacker, you seem to be doing just fine! It must be nice to have such stamina! I guess that means I should work you even harder tomorrow!" Victor cheerfully commented. 

"Please don't say such scary things," Yuri smiled sheepishly. 

It took him a block, but he realized... Victor knew the way back to Yu-topia. He was heading there without needing directions. 

Victor Nikiforov knew his way around Hasetsu.

Yuri was staring at his feet, trying to process _that_. But, it wasn't just _that_. It was spending a day at practice once again, with Victor coaching him with tips and pointers and insights. It was having dinner with Victor and laughing when they found out they shared a favorite restaurant in Boston. It was Victor teasing him about being lazy. There were too many things to process, and it didn't help that he kept getting flashbacks to Bangkok and dancing all night with Victor.

Nope, no way he could wrap his head around this.

Makkachin barked as they got to the intersection, and Yuri's head snapped up. "Ah!"

Victor looked at him quizzically. 

"I just realized... I used to always... we should go this way," Yuri pulled Victor along. Victor was confused, but willing to go anywhere Yuri told him to, something else Yuri would have to process later. Makkachin whimpered, and then bounded after them. 

Yuri took them down the block, and then to an alley. He turned down to an adjoining alley, looking around to be sure. It would have been hard to get lost, of course.

"Yuri? Where are...?" Victor started.

Yuri smiled at him. "I... I used to take Vicchan this way whenever I took him for a walk. Ah!" He led them straight up ahead. The alley they were in was behind a row of stores, and a few of them had their back doors open as they cleaned up for the night. One in particular... Yuri peeked inside, and then stood back. 

A man came out carrying a crate filled with refuse. He brightened up when he saw them. "Yuri-kun! It's good to see you! Oh, for a minute, I thought Vicchan had gotten awfully big!" he laughed.

"Ah, no," Yuri bowed to him. "This is Makkachin. He's Victor's dog. Um, this is... is Victor Nikiforov, ahm, erm..."

"Oh, yes, _the soulmate_ ," the man winked at Yuri.

Yuri was completely stunned at the notion that someone would define Victor in relation to him, so he chose to ignore that. He turned mechanically to Victor, and explained, "Th-this is Koga-san. O-our butcher."

"Does Makkachin like freeze dried liver as much as Vicchan did?" Koga-san asked, rubbing Makkachin's head. 

Makkachin was looking at him hopefully, as if he could understand.

Victor looked at Yuri and Yuri smiled at Victor, so Victor smiled at Koga-san. "I don't think he's ever had it. Would you like a treat, Makkachin?"

Makkachin barked happily that, yes, indeed he _would_ enjoy at nice treat.

Koga-san laughed, and winked at Yuri. "All right! I'll be right back!"

Yuri smiled sheepishly at Victor. "Vicchan used to scratch at the door until Koga-san came out with a treat."

"Are all poodles spoiled?" Victor asked, lovingly rubbing Makkachin's ear.

Makkachin happily barked as if to say _yes!_

Koga-san came back out with a piece of liver in white paper, which he handed to Yuri. Awkwardly, Yuri took it. He thought Victor would have been feeding Makkachin. Victor's expression encouraged him, though, so he took the meat in his fingers and offered it to Makkachin.

It was gone in a second, and Makkachin chewed happily until it was gone. His tail vigorously wagged, and he happily barked his thanks to both Yuri and Koga-san.

"He really is a cute one! Plenty more where that came from, so don't be a stranger!" Koga-san winked at Yuri. "Say hi to your parents for me, Yuri-kun!"

"I will, Koga-san," Yuri bowed. "Thank you."

"Thank you, Koga-san!" Victor echoed, and then _he_ bowed. "Makkachin, say thank you!"

The world had become too surreal for Yuri to understand.

As they left the alley, Victor slipped his arm around Yuri's waist, his hand resting on Yuri's hip. Yuri's eyes widened. Victor started to tell him something about shopping for truffles, but Yuri couldn't focus because their legs kept rubbing against each other, and Victor's hand was so warm.

They got home, and Yuri hadn't even been aware of anything since the alley.

Victor happily called out that they were home, and Yuri bit his lip to keep from reminding Victor that they'd come in the front door like a guest and this was still a place of business. Nevertheless, Yuri's parents came out to greet them, though they were beaten to the punch by Minako-sensei.

"Yuri!" she barreled straight for him, and then she bopped him on the head. "Don't make me worry like that again!"

"Ahhh!" Yuri rubbed his head. She hadn't held back! "S-sorry, Minako-sensei... Truly. Thank you for everything." He bowed his head to her.

She made a face, grumbling incoherently, and then she reached out to straighten his fringe. "It's just good to see you safe at home. Though. You did a fine job in Madrid, but I'm fairly sure I didn't teach you to dance the flamenco with such sloppy posture. I realize it was a variation of the dance, and it wasn't supposed to be technically perfect, but you have to pay attention to the details. I've always told you, be mindful of your wrists and ankles, right? You really should devote some practice time in the studio..."

"Minako-sensei," Yuri cut her off with a smile. 

She sighed. "Fine, fine. Oh," she grabbed his wrist. "I have something for you."

Yuri had no choice but to follow her. She brought him to the table in the dining area where she'd been drinking and poking at her dinner. She pulled him to sit down next to her, and Victor sat down on his other side right away. He blinked in surprise at Victor, and Victor just smiled brightly in reply.

"Here!" Minako pulled a small package out of her purse. "This came to me, but it's for you. It's from Malta." She was looking at him eagerly, so he figured he had no choice.

He opened the box roughly. Inside, there were three letters, a rolled up t-shirt, and something wrapped in tissue. He looked at the letters. He didn't recognize the handwriting... "Ah, it's from Mireli... and Ariana and Raul. But, they're in Spanish." He sighed. Mireli had written him in English, at least.

"I can read it for you," Minako-sensei reached for the letters, but Yuri shoved them toward Victor. 

He smiled sheepishly at Minako-sensei while Victor calmly slipped the letters into his pocket. "It's ok, I'll read them later. They're probably just mad at me for taking off so quickly." Whoops, that might not make her feel any better...

She made a face, but she didn't say anything more. Sighing, she picked up the t-shirt and unrolled it. It was the shirt from Francisco's festival. Minako-sensei nodded, and then she picked up the paper-wrapped item.

"Oy, oy," Yuri objected, but it didn't stop her.

"Eh? Yuri, why'd you buy a necklace?" she asked.

Yuri's eyes widened. That was...

"What a cute, cheap souvenir!" Victor rather mercilessly enthused.

Yuri flushed. "Mm, yeah, i-it's really nothing. We were walking around Madrid, and they wanted me to buy something in this beautiful open-air plaza place, so..." 

"That was Plaza Mayor, right?" Victor asked eagerly. "I've been there! It's quaint, isn't it?"

"Maybe we aren't talking about the same place," Yuri considered. The place he'd bought the necklace was very old and beautiful... not _quaint_.

"Who were you planning to give this to? Hiroko?" Minako-sensei frowned.

"Hmmmm," Mari-neechan suddenly leaned down between Minako-sensei and Yuri. She grinned broadly. "What a... _pretty_ color, don't you think, Minako-sensei? I don't think Yuri bought that thinking he'd give it to anyone..."

Yuri blushed. Damn it, Mari-neechan saw right through him...!

"Eh? What do you mean? It's blue... bluish..." Minako-sensei was examining the necklace, frowning.

Yuri reached out and took it, grabbing the t-shirt, too. "Minako-sensei, thank you very much for bringing this! A-and I'm sorry, again, for... for making things difficult for you. Thank you, but Victor and I haven't bathed yet, so..." He got up, indicating to Victor to follow.

"Yay, I get to bathe with Yuri again!" Victor cheerfully sang out.

Yuri flinched, but he continued up to his room, ignoring Mari-neechan's chuckles.

Victor stayed close on his heels all the way up the stairs, and... right to Yuri's room. He knew that Victor was bypassing his own door, but he didn't turn to look at Victor until he was opening his own bedroom door. 

"Um, Victor..."

"I've got your letters!" Victor stepped inside of Yuri's room, and Makkachin trotted in after him. Sighing, Yuri admitted defeat. He was about to thank Victor for holding onto them, but as soon as he closed the door, Victor continued. "I'm guessing you didn't want Minako to read them in case they mentioned what happened in Italy," he said quietly.

Yuri froze, and then he smiled crookedly. "Well... no point in getting them worried about something that didn't..."

"They're already worried," Victor cut in. "Because they know you got hurt. They just don't want to press you into talking about it. Neither do I," he sat down on Yuri's bed, smiling sheepishly. "But... not to sound repetitive, if you _did_ want to talk about it..."

Makkachin jumped up on Yuri's bed and made himself comfortable, his head on Yuri's pillow. Yuri smiled, and sat down at his desk. "Thank you. I'll... keep that in mind."

Victor smiled at him while he stroked Makkachin's fur. He held out Yuri's letters with his free hand. "Do you... need help reading them?"

Yuri blinked. "You can read Spanish?!" He didn't know that! Victor was so amazing!

"I can read French," Victor shrugged cutely. "I can probably help you... piece it together."

Yuri grinned, and took the letters. "Thanks. I can use the app on my phone to translate it. It's not perfect, but it'll probably be good enough."

"O~kay," Victor sighed, and put his head down on Yuri's pillow next to Makkachin's head. "Mm, Yuri's bed smells like Yuri again!"

Yuri shoved the letters under his laptop, but he couldn't take his eyes off the sight of Victor's back, or his head on Yuri's pillow. "So shameless. Laying down on someone's bed when you haven't even bathed yet," Yuri said quietly.

Victor looked over his shoulder at Yuri, grinning. "Care to join me?"

"Looks like Makkachin's got my space. No more room." Yuri shrugged, blushing.

"There's always room for more," Victor promised, and he turned onto his back, holding his arms up in the air for Yuri.

Yuri couldn't help laughing. "You... certainly look like a... _comfortable_ bed... but I wasn't kidding! We went out to eat straight from practice, we have to bathe!"

"Right, right," Victor chuckled, sitting up. "Hey, Yuri. Why did you buy that necklace?"

Yuri opened his mouth. Certainly, it would be easy to brush him off, or even lie. But, Yuri hated that he was even thinking of that. "...Don't be offended. I thought the stone... I thought it was close to the color of your eyes. I-I mean, now that I'm... that we're... I know it's not nearly as pretty... and it was just a cheap souvenir, sorry..."

Victor's eyes were shining, though. "You really were thinking of me when you were in Spain."

"I've been thinking of you since I first saw you skate," Yuri shrugged half-heartedly. And then he realized what he'd just said. "Ah, I didn't mean..."

Victor got up, beaming. He put his hands on Yuri's shoulders, and he leaned in. Once again, Yuri thought he was going to be kissed. Victor stopped just short, though, and then he smiled. "Do you like the color of my eyes? Yuri?" 

Yuri's eyes widened, and he felt like his heart was going to burst. 

Victor touched his lips to Yuri's nose. "Let's get ready, then! We're going to the bath together, right? Right, Yuri?"

"Yes, yes," Yuri mumbled, wishing he had the courage to kiss Victor.

☽☾

Yuri closed the door behind him. He and Victor had been the last ones to the use the bath, so he helped his father straighten up. Then, he and Victor talked in Victor's room until Victor couldn't keep his eyes open anymore. It was cute, seeing Victor trying to fight off sleep to chat with him more. Yuri felt guilty, though, because he knew Victor wanted him to stay the night. He felt even worse when Makkachin whined at him while he left. He felt too guilty about leaving to even really think about it, but...

Another night was passing without him kissing Victor goodnight.

He sat at his desk, thinking he would check his email on his laptop, but then he remembered the letters. He opened Mireli's first, since he could read it directly.

    

_Dear Yuri,_  
   
_I'm sorry I wasn't there to see you off. Ariana didn't have any details, but it sounds like something bad happened. I won't press you to let me know that you're all right, but I hope that you found your way back to where you were meant to be. In retrospect, I wonder if we were any use to you at all? I thought I was being helpful, but maybe that was just my own perception. Actually, I don't think you needed help as much as you needed time, and, well, THAT you had. I want to believe that your 'vacation' with us was more good than bad._  
   
_During the upcoming season, if you like, remember that you have fans out here that you danced with over the summer, and that we'll be looking forward to seeing the colors you create again. When you skated at the rink at the Plaza Oriente, I didn't tell you at the time because you looked like you wanted to run away, but it was impressive. I have no doubt that the disappointments of the last season are a thing of the past. In fact, I might be near Marseille at the time of the Grand Prix Final, so maybe I'll be there, cheering you on!_  
   
_Our paths crossed once, Yuri. Until they cross again, may the road before you be even,_  
   
_Mireli_

Smiling, Yuri tucked that letter away. He could almost hear her voice as he was reading it...

He opened his phone to read the next letter. He laid the letter flat on his desk, and then he opened the translation app. He chose the 'scan' feature. He had to stand with his knee on his chair to get the right angle for the app to 'see' the letter in its entirety. He pushed the button when he had the letter properly focused, and then the app did its work. The words on the page blurred, and then became Japanese text. He sat down to read.

    

_YURI!!!!!_  
   
_God, I'm not even really sure what happened, but I'm so sorry !!! Giada is a bitch, and Luca is not much better. They both said that you had problems with another guest, so you decided to leave, but people were talking about someone bleeding the night you left, and Giada and Luca throwing someone else ???? I know they would not kick YOU out, but ..._  
   
_Mireli said I should have faith in you, and I should not bother you with trivial concerns, and I know she's right that you're working on your spell and you have that complicated relationship ... I'm just. Really worried. And I feel sick to leave you alone in the villa. I hope you are well. Let me know if you are not, or if you are, or if you are angry at me ... I would like to say. But I guess I should listen to Mireli. She's always right about everything, you know._ ( •᷄⌓•᷅ )  
   
_ANYWAY, the dance group is broken for now, and I'm going back to Seville. Even if I wanted you to contact me, I'm not really sure what to tell you because my phone contract is up and I need to save up some money. I'm taking a chance and meeting a friend from my childhood ... who may or may not be more than a friend. These complicated relationships will kill us! Mireli mentioned going to Marseille for the Grand Prix final. I told her that if you're going to be there, she had to buy me a ticket, too. So, let's hope we see each other before the end of the year!_  
   
_♡_  
 _Ariana_

Complicated relationships... huh... He looked at the wall as if he could see through it into Victor's room. Well, see through it and the wall of the storage room next to it into Victor's room... He sighed, and got ready to read Raul's letter.

    

_Yuri,_  
   
_It was not clear what happened, but I told Mireli that we had to send you your memories, so she called Francisco to send her an address. Seriously, I just wanted to say I'm sorry. No one really knew what happened that night in the villa, but from what I could gather, it was not good. I told you that I would have your back, but the party started to warm up and I started to drink ..._  
   
_I'm sorry I was not there to support you. I hope you have no ill will towards us._  
   
_Since the company is disbanding for now, I'm going back to my family home for a while. It is in a small town in the province of Jaén, and there is nothing more than olive trees. My parents are getting older. My sister lives with them, but she and her family are on vacation this summer, so I guess it's my turn to take care of them. It's been years since I got home for a period of time ... I thought of you when you said you had not been home for five years. I hope I do not end up fleeing to another country, but life is an endless adventure!_  
   
_Mireli says that once you meet someone, you are bound to meet them again. I really do not see how that can be true, but I hope we can meet again so I can apologize in person. Good luck with your season, Yuri !! I will be encouraging you!_  
   
_Raul_

Yuri put his phone down and leaned back in his chair, staring sightlessly toward the ceiling. His head was swirling with thoughts. Raul didn't have to feel guilty. Maybe he could write to Mireli so she could pass on the message...? But, he hadn't kept the box the package was sent in... he could probably track it down, but Mireli was always on the move... Ariana was getting back with an ex? Or... someone who could have been an ex? Mireli would be in Marseille. Yuri was already plenty motivated to get to Marseille, but it was a long way off. And there were so many things going on...

He thought of skating at the Plaza Oriente, and about skating at Giada and Luca's villa. He wondered what Victor would have thought of his colors. More than anything... More than anything...

He wanted to create a spell that would take Victor's breath away.

If he was being honest with himself, that had probably been his goal ever since he first saw Victor skating. To be on the same ice with him, to be able to create colors with him...

Yuri took a deep breath, and then scrubbed his eyes. He got onto his feet somehow, and turned off the light, ready to fall into bed. 

If only it were that simple to just turn off his thoughts. If he wanted to be the kind of sorcerer that would make Victor gasp in amazement, he'd need to get practicing, and that meant getting a good night's rest.

☽☾

Yuri skated over to where Victor was standing and grabbed his water bottle. Victor noticed that he was watching Victor from the corner of his eye as he drank. Yuri gulped down his water, and the he braced himself.

"Hmm... You sure do have a lot of stamina! How long have we been at this?" Victor wondered, looking around as if seeing a clock might answer his question.

"What do you think?" Yuri asked. They'd been practicing jumps all day. Yuri had asked Victor to teach him all the jumps he knew.

"...I can't think of anything more to suggest. A lot of it is mental. You need more confidence. That's what practice is for! We'll keep at it!" Victor sunnily told him.

Yuri smiled half-heartedly. Victor knew his words sounded hollow. In that case...

Victor slid in closer, and looked Yuri right in the eye. "I'll do everything I can to help build up your confidence, don't worry. Are you the type to respond to praise? Or do you want to be punished?" he licked his lips suggestively.

"Eh?" Yuri blinked, stunned.

Victor wanted to kiss Yuri. He was cute and sweet and he had an air of innocence to him that was beautiful. Victor liked being able to make Yuri look at him like that.

"Um, excuse us... we don't want to interrupt..." 

Victor did not sigh, because that would be rude and he was a guest. But mentally, he was sighing. Yuko and Nishigori were standing a few meters away, and Yuko was holding her phone with both hands.

"We don't really mind interrupting," Nishigori corrected his wife under his breath.

Victor smiled brightly at them in his most spectacularly natural fashion, but Yuri spoke up first.

"Of course not, what's up?" 

"It's just... we thought you should know..." she looked at her husband from the corner of her eye, and then she moved closer to show Yuri and Victor her phone. "The internet is blowing up with rumors. It started on Victor's fanclub page, but now it's all over Twitter and Instagram, too. People have been examining the photos Phichit posted that night in Bangkok..." she looked shyly at her feet. How sweet! Victor was happy those photos were getting attention, though! They were both so beautiful in them! "There's a few where your mark can be seen on Victor's hand. People are speculating that the two of you are soulmates, or at the very least, that Victor _has_ a soulmate."

Both Yuko and Nishigori were watching Yuri with rapt attention. The way they fussed over him...! Victor found that he was holding his breath, too, though. They'd been making progress, and their time in Bangkok had been... _special_. But how would Yuri react to...?

"Mm, I figured as much," Yuri shrugged, giving Yuko back her phone.

"Eh?" both Nishigori's said in unison. 

Yuri smiled at them slyly. "Well, I noticed the mark in a few pics, too, so I figured it wouldn't be long before people put two and two together."

"Ah... well... you're ok with it, then? Are you going to... I don't know, what do people do in this situation? Have a press conference or something?" Yuko mused.

"You could just post something to your own account. Well, since Yuri never posts anything, I suppose Victor would have to. Don't people do that nowadays, post a pic of their mark and all?" Nishigori shrugged.

"Sure, normal people do that. Ah, not that you're not normal!" Though, from the way she was looking at him, Victor suspected that Yuko didn't consider _him_ a normal person. That was fine, because Victor didn't, either.

"That's not really necessary. I have to stay focused. If I can't manifest this season..." Yuri trailed off.

The Nishigori's were looking at him with concern. That wouldn't do at all! Victor put his hand on the small of Yuri's back and propped his chin on Yuri's shoulder. "Stop that," he purred. "It's going to be a beautiful season. I already know it."

Yuri blushed. "V-Victor..." 

"If you were anticipating this, then it's fine. It's probably just as well not to make too big a deal out of it, at least until you want to. There's no right way to do this, so no need to follow some silly internet trend," Nishigori shrugged.

"Yeah, but there _are_ wrong ways to do it. Right, Takeshi?" Yuko smirked, poking her husband with her elbow. "Yuri's handling it better than _you_ did, at least."

"What are you saying?" he blushed, gently pushing her back as he ignored her laughter. "Not to be rude, but I don't recall running off to another _hemisphere_. Sorry, Yuri."

"Er..." Yuri edged away from Nishigori, which fortunately moved him closer to Victor.

"You would have if you could have. I remember you accusing me of _trapping_ you, of all things." Nishigori turned bright red. "If I'm not mistaken, you were in tears in my bedroom, begging me to undo _whatever it is you did to me_ ," she laughed.

"Ok, ok, ok, look, it was a confusing time, we _both_ said things then, let's not dredge up the past," Nishigori shook his head.

"Huh? I was there when you were marked! You were happy!" Yuri protested.

"We were in shock, I think," Yuko laughed. "There was a period of adjustment. And a fair amount of denial. As well as some tears from a big baby who didn't think he'd be stuck with a _girl_ his whole life," she tried to pinch Nishigori, but he curled up to defend himself.

"I think _both_ of us saw ourselves with _someone else_ in the future. We _both_ had to adjust!" Nishigori laughed.

"Eh?" Yuri pouted.

"Takashi _definitely_ had his eyes on a _certain someone **else**_ ," Yuko winked at Yuri. "All of the time. To the point where he was a nuisance."

"Eh? Who?" Yuri looked dazed.

Nishigori blinked, and then he sighed. "I would have guessed that would have been your reaction, but it still stings a little."

"I knew it," Victor muttered under his breath, moving in closer to Yuri. He couldn't be too possessive because it might annoy Yuri, but...

"Eh?" Yuri looked around at all three of them for a clue.

"Let's just say that Takeshi has been a Yuri-otaku for a _lot_ longer that nearly anyone else. It's no coincidence that he's the founder of the Yuri Fanclub. First loves last forever," she teased both her husband and Yuri.

Victor's soulmate was still clueless, though. "What?" his brow was furrowed adorably. Victor wanted to kiss his cheek, at least.

Nishigori sighed, smoothing his hair back. "This whole soulmark stuff is really poorly planned out. I doubt it ever happens to anyone who's expecting it. Who came up with that, anyway? Ah, just think... I could have such a sweet and adorable partner now..."

Yuko snorted. "Keep dreaming. Pretty sure you were never his type." She was looking pointedly at Victor, and she winked playfully at him. 

Victor smirked. 

"His type?" Yuri looked confused.

"Takeshi was the dumb kid who bullied the person he liked. When he saw this one cute boy for the first time, Takashi thought he was so precious, he skated over, pushed him down, and called him fat," Yuko whispered loudly to Yuri.

"Eh? That's what he did to me! You did that to more than one person?" Yuri asked Nishigori, horrified.

Nishigori now looked like he could melt into a puddle and soak into the floor. "I-it was my plan to get his attention," he informed his wife. "And it _worked_. Basically. So. There," he childishly finished.

"Huh?" Yuri looked at Victor.

Victor couldn't hold back anymore. He put his arms around Yuri from behind. This much wasn't pushing it, was it? "Ignore them. They're just teasing you for their own amusement. It's much too late for a childhood crush to sneak in, anyway," Victor purred.

"Ehh??" Yuri's body was rigid, but he also latched onto Victor's arm and held it in place.

Victor smiled into Yuri's hair.

"Nobody's trying to _sneak in_ anywhere! I no longer have regrets... mostly," he gave his wife side-eye. "Anyway, the only point was... this soulmark stuff is confusing. It's better to take your time with it. The only plus side is... you're in it together. So, as long as you talk things out..." He halfway shrugged. "But, well. You probably aren't looking for advice. It seems like you two are getting along a lot better now, anyway."

Yuri flushed, and his chin dipped down, resting on Victor's arm. "Ah... I don't really get what you three were talking about... but. Mm. Thanks, Nishigori."

"Ohho, now he'll be in a good mood all day. Nice job, Yuri!" Yuko gave Yuri a thumbs up.

"C'mon, let's leave them to practice," Nishigori sighed, dragging his wife away. 

"Aw... but I was having fun!" Yuko objected, running to keep up with her husband.

"I could tell!" Nishigori only picked up his pace.

Victor didn't let go of Yuri even after they were out of sight. Yuri was still holding onto his arm, so Victor was allowed to hold on. It was amazing how beautifully Yuri fit in his arms. He rubbed his chin on Yuri's shoulder. "...You did get that Nishigori had a crush on you, right? I mean, it's fine to be naive, but they weren't even being subtle about it..." Victor wanted to check. There had to be limits to how clueless someone could be about their own appeal, right?

"Eh?! What? That's...!" Yuri turned red all the way to the tips of his adorable ears!

So cute!

"It's not even possible. He always used to pester me and swipe my drinks and snacks and push me around on the oh shit," Yuri leaned back against Victor, like he was going limp. 

Victor laughed, squeezing Yuri. "That was a very immature way for him to handle his crush! I'm glad it didn't pay off for him."

"It's never once occurred to me that the two of them weren't... Well, you can understand why I had so much trouble with our mark, then, I mean, if I can't wrap my head around _Nishigori_ having a crush on me, how would I be expected to understand that _you_..." Yuri grumbled.

Victor rubbed his cheek against Yuri's. "...Are you really all right with it? The fans talking about our mark..." If it would make Yuri feel better, Victor could make some sort of post or statement about it, but he didn't want to try to hide their relationship.

"It's fine," Yuri tried to shrug, but Victor was holding him too tightly. "I never pay attention to what the fans are doing, anyway. It can get pretty scary."

"True," Victor sighed, though he loved it, too. "I think we'll all remember the first time we found some fanfiction online pairing us off with some other skater. Although, I did get some good ideas from some of them!"

"I wish I could say that I can't believe that you've read fanfictions about yourself, but of course you have," Yuri complained but he was smiling and he was trying to hide it from Victor! No fair! Yuri's smiles were too cute to hide them!

"Oh! Did you ever write any? Like, when you were in the junior division, maybe?" Victor gave Yuri a little shake, making sure that Yuri couldn't ignore him.

"A-as if! I had better things to do, you know!" Yuri objected, pushing away from Victor. He was bright red again!

"I hope you only wrote the... what do they call it, the self-insert kind! I wouldn't like it if you were shipping me with someone else. Though, if you _had_ to ship me with anyone..." he mused, wondering who a cute teenaged Yuri might have fantasized about Victor being with.

"Stop, stop!" Yuri was laughing. Nothing could be all that wrong if Yuri was laughing. "I don't even want to know. Let's just get back to practice!" He was looking at Victor again.

His eyes were shining beautifully.

☽☾

Yuri brought Victor in the back way for once, but they still had to go to the public side to get Makkachin a bowl of water. It would have been nice to bathe and change before dinner, but once they were in the dining area to let Makkachin drink, they were spotted by Minako-sensei. "Yuri! Yuriiiii!"

He and Victor shared a quick look, and then they headed to her table.

They sat down with her, and Victor immediately tried to pour himself a drink from the nearest bottle. That one was empty, though, so he had to reach for another before he could get a few drops in a cup. Minako-sensei latched onto Yuri's arm. "You're not escaping from me this time, young man! I have a lot of things I want to talk to you about! I need to know _everything_ about Spain, _and_ about Italy, _and_ Bangkok," she gave Victor a knowing look there, too, so Yuri surmised she had seen Phichit's photos, " _and_ I wanna hear about your new spell, and when are you going to do a test run, and have you registered for the season with the ISF and the JSF?"

"Oh, right, Celestino used to do that stuff. I guess I have to now..." Yuri had no idea what was involved. Probably filling out a form online? Hopefully?

Minako-sensei grabbed his cheek and pinched him. "It's all well and good that you're practicing and you've got a spell, but you can't half-ass your way through a season! You need a proper coach!"

"Hey," Victor pouted. He had grabbed the third bottle on the table and successfully got himself a full cup. "I'm right here."

"A _proper_ coach," Minako-sensei began.

"There you are," Mari-neechan interrupted darkly. She kneeled down next to Victor and glowered at him. "You've got messages. _So. Many. Messages_. Some Russian dude has been calling and yelling at us _all day long_ , I guess his name is Yakov or something? Yurio finally took the phone from him," she smiled beatifically for a moment, "and what we could make out is... if you're planning on skating competitively this season, you have to decide _now_ , because they've gotta file... paperwork or something," she shrugged. 

"Oh, Yakov," Victor laughed sunnily. "I blocked his number on my phone because he kept calling. I guess he found this number... Sorry about that!"

Mari-neechan put her hand down on the table in front of Victor and leaned in very, very close to him, even though Victor was leaning back to give her room. "Call. Him. Back. I'm pretty sure I've learned _lots_ of lovely Russian curses today, but if I pick up that phone and hear some old Russian man screaming at me one more time, I'm putting all your stuff out to the curb. Got it?"

"O~kay," Victor grinned.

It was amazing how Victor never let anyone seem to get to him. Yuri was impressed. Mari-neechan was in her full-out _take no shit_ mode, and Victor was still unflapped.

Sighing heavily, Mari-neechan got to her feet. She passed Yuri, pressing her fist to his head. 

"Ow!" he complained, trying to push her hand away.

"Get cleaned up, sheesh, we're running a business here!" she shook her head as she walked off.

"Neither one of you have any common sense at all. Are you both just so used to being spoiled by your coaches? Get your registration settled!" Minako-sensei scolded them.

"Mm, well... that's... _complicated_ ," Victor looked troubled.

"Are you still feeling uninspired?" Yuri asked sheepishly. Of course, it was his fault for distracting Victor so much...

"No, I mean. I found a song I think I can make a spell with," Victor hedged.

"Really?" Yuri leaned forward on the table eagerly. "That's great news!"

"Mm... but," Victor looked at Makkachin, who was still gulping down his water. "I'm not really sure how it will work out. I really can't work with any coach but Yakov at this point. It would be way too hard to break in a new one!" 

Yuri felt a little sorry for Yakov Feltsman. "Why would you... need a new coach...?" 

"I... I doubt Yakov would come to Hasetsu," Victor looked at Yuri shyly. "Though, he should, it's great here," he gushed, picking up his cup. "Mm. Maybe he wouldn't mind coaching by proxy, but it's not the protocol I'm used to..."

Yuri blinked. Wait.

Victor... Victor was troubled because... he wanted to stay in Hasetsu?

...He wanted to stay in Hasetsu, or he wanted to stay with Yuri? 

Just thinking such an audacious thing made Yuri's heart pound. He noticed that Minako-sensei was glaring at him forcefully, so he knew he had to say something, but...

"Uh... well, Victor... you... just have to go back to St. Petersburg, right?" Yuri offered.

He could tell by Victor's stricken look and from the way Minako-sensei groaned as she dropped her forehead into her hand that he had said the wrong thing. 

He tried again. "I-I mean. We could both go to St. Petersburg."

Victor lit up.

Yuri felt all kinds of emotions rushing through him, and he couldn't process them, so he just felt embarrassed. "Er! I mean! I'm not... not inviting myself into your home or anything, I could get an apartment, and there's loads of rinks and coaches in St. Petersburg, so I won't be intruding on you..." Yuri stammered.

However, just thinking about it...

Victor surged across the table, grabbing Yuri's hands and sending a bottle flying. Fortunately, Minako-sensei never let a bottle hit the floor. "Yuri! You mean it!? You'll come with me? Really?" Victor kissed Yuri's fingers. "Of course you'll live with me, silly! This is the best, I didn't think you'd want to leave your home, since you hadn't been here in so long!"

"W-well... I mean, there's only the one rink and there's no real coaches... o-of course it just makes sense," Yuri was watching Victor kiss his fingers one by one and he had no idea what he should be doing.

"Yuri in St. Petersburg! I can't wait to show you all around! Of course, I know all the best restaurants and shopping and we'll go to the opera..." Victor was getting more and more excited by the second.

"Eh, what's this now?" Mari-neechan stopped behind Victor. She'd been clearing a table, so she had a tray in her hands. "Mom! Dad! Yuri's planning on moving to Russia!" she called out loudly.

"Ma-Mari-neechan!!" Yuri froze, looking around at the guests nervously. Wasn't she just scolding him that they were in their family's place of business?? "I would have told them!"

"Sometimes you just up and leave the country without a word to anyone," she shrugged, grinning. "Better safe than sorry."

It was going to take Yuri a long time to live that down...

His mom scampered into the dining area excited. "What's this now?" 

"Yuri and Victor have decided to go to St. Petersburg to train," Minako-sensei informed her.

"I could have told her!" Yuri pouted.

"Oh, how exciting!" she clapped her hands together. "And is it all right if I say romantic, too?" she winked at Yuri.

Yuri had no idea how to respond to that.

"I'm going to call Yakov right away!" Victor declared, getting to his feet. "And, I'll have to contact a mover... we'll get going immediately! Yakov will be so happy!" Victor beamed.

"He certainly never fails to take the optimistic outlook," Minako-sensei noted.

"Are you happy, Yuri?" his mom asked him quietly.

Jarred, Yuri turned and smiled at her. "I am, of course." His head was still spinning and he wasn't sure what was going on, really. But. St. Petersburg... and with Victor... "I'm sorry, mom. I only just got home, and..."

"It's ok, it's ok!" she waved her hands frantically to dispel his concerns. She beamed at him. "That's just the life of a sorcerer for you. At least you aren't running off in the middle of the night without your phone," she laughed.

It all likelihood, Yuri would never live that down.

"Whatever is best for you," she added quietly, her voice warm with love. She was smiling at him, and she reached out to smooth his hair back around his ear.

Yuri smiled back, feeling at peace. Then, he thought about his mother's touch... "Oh, I haven't bathed yet..."

"It's fine," his mom laughed, leaning in to kiss his forehead.

"St. Petersburg, huh? Make sure to pack sweaters!" his father cheerfully chimed in.

☽☾

"Aren't both of these red shirts the same?" Victor puzzled over Yuri's wardrobe.

Yuri sat down on his bed. He managed to keep from pointing out that Victor had multiple coats that were exactly the same but in different colors. "They're _similar_ , yeah."

"Oh, well," Victor shrugged and tossed the shirts to the open suitcase next to Yuri.

"You know, I can pack myself..." Yuri hedged.

"I like to pack! Plus, you've been dragging your feet!" Victor made a face at a shirt that Yuri hadn't worn in years.

"I was the one who had to skate last night," Yuri yawned. He'd performed the Eros spell for Hasetsu before leaving. They hadn't invited the whole town into the rink, but it felt like everyone was outside and cheering for him. The amount of color was... encouraging.

"You didn't think you could pack everything in one day, did you?" Victor sighed.

"I barely even unpacked from Detroit, so," Yuri shrugged.

"You've only got one suitcase and a backpack there!" Victor laughed.

"I don't have to bring as much with me as you do," Yuri grinned.

Victor smirked at Yuri, and then he pulled out Yuri's suit. "Oh, my! Well, we can leave _this_ behind..."

"Th-that's my only suit!" Yuri objected.

"I'll take you to my tailor! He'll do something that looks less... _off the rack_ than this. And this tie! No, no," Victor hung it back up in the closet.

Of course his suit was off the rack. And of course Victor would be personally offended by that. "I like that suit..." he grumbled.

"I didn't hear that," Victor happily moved on. "Where are your old costumes?"

"Oh! Um, well, I guess mom has a trunk with them or something," Yuri had to think about it, though. Once he was done with his costumes, he always shipped them home. His mom probably saved them? Maybe she gave them to Minako-sensei?

"That's no good! You have to save them, they're your precious memories! I have a second apartment for storage, we can put all our costumes together!" Victor tossed some more clothes into the suitcase.

Yuri pressed his lips together. Precious memories, huh... For Yuri, it was more bitter than precious. He wouldn't mind just chucking all those old costumes and start fresh. If only he could chuck his memories as easily as he could a trunk of costumes...

"Yuri."

Victor was standing in front of him looking concerned. Yuri sucked in his breath in surprise.

"You are... looking forward to this, right?" Victor asked gently. He leaned in to put his hands on Yuri's, and then he knelt down in front of Yuri.

Victor Nikiforov was on his knees in front of Yuri while Yuri was sitting on his bed and they were in Yuri's room, the same room whose walls used to be plastered with posters of Victor.

"It's all happened pretty fast. If you're having any doubts, or regrets," Victor started.

That word alarmed Yuri so much, he did something he hadn't been able to figure out how to do since Bangkok. He leaned in and kissed Victor softly on the lips. He pulled back, and then blinked in shock at himself. He felt his cheeks go hot. "I... I'm not having any thoughts like that. I'm really excited. I really... I really think this is the best thing. For both of us."

Victor smiled up at him, and Yuri felt like he'd never truly seen Victor smile before. He squeezed Yuri's hands. "We will make this work."

"Yes, we will," Yuri echoed, and somewhere in his brain he was aware.

Victor Nikiforov was his partner. His partner.

He leaned in and let his forehead rest against Victor's. "That's enough packing, right? I mean, I've got plenty of stuff.

"I'm ready."

☽☾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ha, so yuri and victor are going to st. petersburg to train...
> 
> the funny thing is... even before the first episode of yuri!!! on ice aired, for some reason, it didn't really sink in to me that victor would be giving up a whole season to coach yuri. like, i just assumed that he would be competing, too, so after yurio showed up, i assumed that all three of them would end up going back to st. petersburg to train, and that victor being yuri's coach would be a... fluid type of arrangement. ^_^;;; it just didn't make sense to me. now, i'm not saying that i'm not _thrilled_ with the way the show worked out. quite the contrary, i love every episode. but, i decided when i was first plotting this out that i would have victor compete with yuri, and they would train together in st. petersburg (after an appropriate *coughs* amount of angst ofc). i know i had the first draft of the first part done somewhere around ep 4 coming out, and i had it all outlined roughly before then...
> 
> what i am saying is, it's not really here nor there, but i didn't choose to send victor and yuri to st. petersburg because that's what happened in canon. it's just that yuri!!! on ice is such a magical, wonderful show that everything i hoped and dreamed would happen it actually did and i just. i'll probably never be over it. ^_~

**Author's Note:**

> _ [glossary of terms](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8510926) _


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